Venenum
by Kyrene once Blood Roses
Summary: She would be the death of him; he loves her too much to care. Her poison is his libation; he willingly accepts. "Her hundreds of secrets. Even more of her lies. I welcomed it all." All Human, OOC
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone that belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I do not own _Original Sin_ which influenced this story…

* * *

I reached for the cup of coffee that I knew was filled with whatever poison my love had decided would rip me from this world and out of her life forever.

As a child, my mother always told me that when I loved, I would love deeply. She said it would be a love that would consume every ounce of my being, and when I had it, I would never let it go. She always said things like that. _It's in the genes_, she said.

She loved my father that way, and in the end, that's what killed her. No, my parent's story wasn't one of abuse. Just a story of love. They loved the same way she always said I would. They were the type of people that you would look at and not be sure where one ended and the other began.

When my father died, my mother died too. Not in the physical sense, no, that came later. But her heart was already dead, even before her body followed.

When people ask, my Aunt and Uncle simply say that she died of a broken heart. I always preferred the technical term: _suicide_.

I could never really comprehend my mother's actions. People live without the ones they love all the time, they persevere, and they survive. I was seventeen when she took her life. I'd lost both of my parents within one year's time. I had loved them, and they left me. She left me, because she couldn't live without him.

When you find that love, she said, you never let it go.

My mother couldn't let go of her love, so she followed him.

I had vowed to myself that I would prove my mother wrong. That if I loved, and if I lost, I would be able to let go. That the love I found would not consume me to the point where I could not live without it. That maybe I could love my work instead.

But my mother had a habit of always being right. It was a fact that I could no longer deny. Especially considering my current situation.

The vows that an angry seventeen year old boy had made to never love, the women I had pushed away with the knowledge that they could never change my mind, the work that I had hoped would become the only love I would ever need in my life, all of those walls I made, they all crumbled when _she _entered my life.

Because, as irrational and as ridiculous as it may sound, from the moment I saw her… I loved her.

She walked right into my life and I welcomed her with open arms. Her long mahogany hair, her mysterious brown eyes, her small frame that fit perfectly against mine, her clumsiness that somehow came across as sexy and endearing. The way she would smile when we were alone. The sounds she made when we made love. Her hundreds of secrets. Even more of her lies. I welcomed it all.

It was so hard for the people around me to understand. They insisted that she was using me, taking advantage of my charity in order to steal my love and in doing so steal everything away from me. Gold digger. Con Artist. Not to be trusted.

Should I have listened? Probably. Would that have changed anything? Probably not.

When you love, you will love deeply. Obsessively. All consuming. And never let it go.

In these moments I finally understood why my mother did it. I finally understood what she meant.

I just hoped that Bella was listening. That she could hear me through the stony gaze that she had fixed on me. Through the blank stare that would always meet any questions I ever had about her past.

I watched the stone wall behind her brown eyes begin to crumble as I spoke. A lake of tears begin to fill those beautiful eyes for the first time since I met her. For the last time I would ever see her.

Good.

I smiled then. Yes, I could understand my mother now. I understood it all.

Right before the cup hit my lips I heard her cry for me to stop, her chair screeching against the hard wood floor, her hands outstretched towards me.

I spread my lips and took a big gulp of the bitter liquid without truly tasting it.

I looked into her eyes once more and saw it. Guilt. Distress. Comprehension. Love.

Yes Bella, that's all I ever needed from you. That's all I ever wanted.

It felt as though I could feel the poison running through my veins, dominating and consuming my whole system. The same way her love had all those months ago.

* * *

A/N: That's it for now. Really short Prologue.

Any type of criticism for this whole story is welcomed to the extreme. If I need to I'll be willing to go back and fix things with whatever critique I get.


	2. A Long Night

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that is owned by Stephenie Meyer…which is most of it. Or _Original Sin_.

Big thank you to my new Beta Sobriquet Queen. I've spoken to her like three times and she's already brought up my self-esteem like 5 notches.

* * *

It was a long day. The longest I've had in a while. It was one of those days where everyone around me constantly asked what in the world I was thinking when I decided to do what I do. I came from money, I had plenty more in the bank from my parent's inheritance, I gained even more when Aunt Esme took me in, and for some reason that no one could fathom… I became a doctor. I decided to become a surgeon, much like my Uncle. Carlisle Cullen, one of the best. Well, he's up there now. We never discussed who's better. But I don't take well to death, so I do the best I can do on the operating table. No mistakes. Unfortunately, things happen, and it's not always a mistake that causes death.

Like I said, long day. All I wanted to do was go home and sleep.

Unfortunately, my good friend Emmett insisted that I needed to go out, get laid and whatever else goes on in that Neanderthal head of his. I waited around with him, pretending to drink, a glass of water between every one. I wasn't a heavy drinker, and I most certainly was not a very good drunk.

He'd left with some leggy blonde around two; my cue to leave. I walked to my car, ready to get some much needed sleep. I could never fathom how a tough day somehow equated to being out even later to consume dubious amounts of alcohol that would only make the next day that much rougher. Oh the logic of man…

I was quickly ripped out of my thoughts by something slamming into me. I stumbled a little and the weight slumped against me, falling to the concrete ground in front of me. It, whatever it was, was wrapped in a blanket and I could see it shivering. I knelt down in front of it, my eyebrows drawn close together.

From the point of impact on my chest I'd have to say that it was human. Perhaps a child? I frowned deeper at the thought and gently placed my hand on the blanketed figure. Slowly, cautiously, I grabbed a handful of the material and pulled. The first thing I saw was a flash of deep mahogany. I continued to pull until I could see the face of this pitiful being before me.

If I didn't know any better, I would tell you that in that moment, time stopped. I could never explain the effect that she first had on me. One eye was swollen shut, her bottom lip had a slit in it, her left cheek puffed and bruising, with a long cut above her eyebrow. The eye I could see shined up at me, chocolate brown filled with pain and suspicion. It pulled me in and all I could think was _who could harm such a beautiful creature?_ I couldn't see the rest of her through the blanket, but from the way she shivered and made no move to stand, I knew her wounds didn't end with her face.

_Snap out of it Edward! She needs help!_

"You need a hospital." My voice a whisper.

Her eye widened and she quickly sat up, the blanket falling to her waist, as she began to violently shake her head at me. Afraid she might end up hurting herself in the moment I reached out and put my hand on her shoulders. Only a thin strap from her tank top blocked her skin from mine, and when we touched I felt it. A spark. Nothing like static electricity or anything even remotely similar. No, this was a different type of spark. It went straight through me, comforting and exciting at once.

My breath caught in my throat. We stared at each other again, and for a second, I was positive she felt it too.

"Alright, no hospital." I looked away, unable to stare into that eye anymore. She relaxed under me, so I began to inspect what the blanket wasn't blocking, a flair of fury rising in my chest at the red marks marring her neck. She was hurt, she was bruised, and someone had unsuccessfully tried to kill her. I shook it away, and attempted to give her a reassuring smile. Getting angry would do nothing for this girl at the moment.

She continued to stare. I took a deep breathe.

"Do you have anywhere you can go?" I asked, calmly this time. She looked down and shook her head. She had nowhere. Odd. Definitely something to file away for later.

I know there were plenty of things that I could have done. Things I probably should have done. I should have taken her to the hospital anyway, brought her to the police, or someplace that could help. But from the moment that doe eye stared into mine I knew the truth. She claimed me in that moment, and I would do anything she asked of me.

Or I was losing my mind.

Slowly, I began to pull the rest of her blanket away, thankful the pants she wore were mostly in one piece. That still didn't answer a very important question, but for now, it would do.

"I'm going to pick you up now." I looked into her eyes as she brought her bottom lip between her teeth. She let out a little yelp at the pain I'm sure she encountered from biting the cut that was there. Her eye began to fill with tears which she quickly wiped away. Her wrist wasn't looking too good either. She slowly nodded her head and I let out the breathe I didn't know I was holding.

She was very light in my arms, and seemed to fit very nicely. I tried to push the thought away as I opened the door to my Volvo and gently placed her in the passenger seat. I tried to wrap her back up in the blanket and in response she smiled weakly at me. I shrugged and shut the door, walking over to the driver's seat.

As we pulled away from the bar I began to contemplate my next move. She refused the hospital which made me wonder what or who she was hiding from. Or was she just ashamed of her current situation? _I should take her anyway. _Limbs could be broken or the worst case scenario could have occurred. Although, none of her reactions to me were that of a rape patient. Usually, they were uncomfortable when being approached by a man, especially right after.

Hospital seemed to be out of the question…

Was there really no one else? She said she had nowhere to go which could mean an assortment of things. Did she know no one here? Did this fragile creature live in this city alone? Was she alone and attacked? Or was there an abusive boyfriend running around out there? Perhaps looking for her? I clutched onto the steering wheel at the idea, my knuckles turning white. I forced myself calm.

I shifted my gaze back over to her and swallowed when I found she was already looking at me. Right, she has no idea where we're going either. I pulled over in a suburban neighborhood, unsure of what else to do. I took a look around and it hit me I had been driving home. Well, that could work.

Clearing my throat, I spoke, "Look, I really think that you should go to the hospital." She cringed. "Since you seem so against the idea, and since you have no where else to go…Well, you can stay with me." She raised an eyebrow. God, that sounded so wrong. "It's just, I'm a Doctor, and you really need someone to look you…over." And sounding worse as I continued. "This is coming out all wrong."

I quickly ran my hand through my hair before looking back over to her. My lip twitched. She was currently unsuccessfully holding in her laughter. I chuckled and took a deep breath. "I'm Edward."

"Bella." Her voice was quiet and raspy, possibly due to the marks on her throat, but I could hear her clearly. My smile grew wider: Bella, perfect. I continued to watch her, as she swallowed a couple of times. "I don't want to be a bother…"

Well, I wasn't about to drop her off on the side of the road somewhere. Without needing another word I put the car back in drive, heading for home.

* * *

I forget sometimes the effect that my house has on the people around me. I lived here for most of my life, only leaving for a short time during my stay with my Aunt and Uncle. It was a good house, albeit a little large for one man. Alright, it was very large for one person. I had complete faith in the fact that once we entered Bella could make herself comfortable. Lord knows there's enough room.

I pulled in and smiled at her gasp of apprehension. I wondered if she would figure out who I was. A part of me hoped she wouldn't, a part of me knew she would… A part of me wondered if she already knew. I kicked the shit out of that part and told him to shut up.

Bella insisted she could walk, so I walked closely next to her, allowing her to lean her weight on me as we entered my house. I made a mental note to check her left leg since she seemed to be favoring it considerably. She looked around with wonder, whether it be because of the size, the furniture, or the cleanliness of it all. I couldn't tell. I led her over to my couch, leaving her alone as I grabbed my medical supplies.

She wasn't as beat up as I originally thought and I was thankful. She needed stitches in the cut above her eyebrow, her ribs were bruised but not broken, her ankle and wrist were sprained, and she had a few cuts and bruises here and there. I thanked whatever lucky star she seemed to have out there that nothing was broken. She was incredibly quiet during all of this and I was amazed. I've seen grown men scream out at just the thought of stitches, Bella barely flinched. Was she so used to all…No, I couldn't chance getting angry. I wouldn't scare her.

When we were done I began to put my supplies away, chancing a glimpse back in her direction. She was still looking around the house and had an ice pack pressed against her swollen eye. "How… Excuse me for asking, but…"

"How does a doctor live in a place like this?" I answered for her. So, she really didn't seem to know who I was yet? She nodded enthusiastically and I couldn't help but think how innocent she looked. "To me completely honest with you, I technically don't need to work at all."

I briefly wondered how much information was too much. Did she really need to know how much money I had?

No. She was good. I could see it. I knew it. I _felt_ it.

She looked thoughtful, her forehead scrunching up, and- "Don't."

Her eyes went wide and she whipped her head back over to me. "What?"

I chuckled, "Your lip, you probably shouldn't bite it right now."

She smiled at me and if I looked close enough (which I did); I would have sworn I saw her blushing. Something to look into when she healed. _If she decided to stay that long._

Finally, I tore my eyes off of her and looked at the clock. It was almost four in the morning. Thankfully tomorrow was Saturday which was a very good thing. I didn't want to leave Bella alone, especially after the night she had.

"Well, it's pretty late; I think it's time for bed. As you can tell, I have plenty of rooms so you can sleep wherever you want." I said and I'm sure I sounded rushed and awkward. I knew how strange this whole situation was, and I still hoped she understand that I expected nothing from her.

She nodded at me and lifted a hand towards mine. "Can you help me?"

"Of course." I grabbed her hand, enjoying the comforting sparks that shot throughout my body as our skin touched. I ignored her protests and pulled her into my arms bridal style, not wanting her to walk on her ankle. "I'll get you some crutches if you want."

She rested her head against my chest and I tried to hold back my grin. "You should probably sleep in a room on the first floor until your ankle is healed." I brought her to one of the rooms on the ground floor and walked her over to the bed. After pulling down the covers, I helped tuck her in.

"Why, thank you, Doctor." She giggled at me and snuggled into the sheets. I was…amazed. She seemed so comfortable in a stranger's house, and I couldn't help but wonder if she felt the connection that I did. "Now that I'm thinking about it, I don't know your last name."

She looked at me expectantly and I sighed. Well, here it is. I walked over to the door, in no mood for this discussion, actually considering giving her the name Masen instead. No, that would still give me away. "Cullen."

I heard her gasp as I left the room.

Well, she knew who I was now.

* * *

A/N: Word of advice, don't trust everything that is said.

Edward is a surgeon because I love the idea of him in scrubs.

Once again, I would love some criticism.

Please review. They make me all sorts of happy.


	3. The Night After

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. Stephenie Meyer owns all.

Mucho thanks to my beta Sobriquet Queen.

* * *

It was another long day. Only today went on for very different reasons.

I'm one of those people who rises early no matter how late or how early I went to bed. I woke up at nine after four hours of tossing and turning with sporatic intervals of sleep in between. It was nothing new to me; sleep has been something that never came easy since my father died. The only difference, of course, is the reasoning.

Just down the stairs, an angel was sleeping in my house. A bruised, battered, and absolutely beautiful angel. I tried not to feel like some sort of stalker when I refused to leave the bottom floor for most of the day. I went upstairs twice - once to get her crutches, and a second time to grab her a change of clothes for when she woke up. _I'll need to get her some real clothes soon._

For the first few hours I continuously debated over whether or not I should bring all this to her room, or leave it outside her door. Waking up in an unfamiliar room with a strange man beside her would scare anyone. Especially her considering what she's been through. But maybe if I was very quiet... I could hear her soft snores from beyond her door; she seemed to be sleeping deeply.

I continued to pace. I read a little bit but I could not concentrate on my book. I tried to watch some television, a pastime that never seemed to catch my attention for too long. This time wasn't any different. I had a strong urge to play my piano since last night, but that was upstairs and I refused to leave the bottom floor until she woke up.

It was three in the afternoon that I heard it. I'd taken another detour past her room to look in the closet right across from her door. Whatever my excuse was this time around, it didn't matter.

The sounds were muffled. I shamelessly pressed my ear against her door and frowned. It sounded like she was protesting something. Was that a "no" I heard? I made my decision. Grabbing the crutches and the clothes I had gathered for her I silently entered the room.

I made a mental note to get heavier curtains in case she decided to stay here and normally slept this late. The room wasn't bright or anything, but it was light and I could see her clearly. She was curled up on her side, her arms gripped around a pillow. I moved closer. She was shaking, her face contorted in discomfort.

I briefly wondered if I should wake her up to give her some pain medication.

"No…"

I walked closer, leaning the crutches against the wall and placing the clothes on the night table next to her bed. She was clutching onto that pillow so hard that her knuckles were turning white and without thinking I gently lay my hand on top of her's.

"It's OK, Bella. You're safe now." I said quietly, quietly caressing her fingers. I don't know how long I was in there, whispering soothing words, my fingers gently loosening her grip around the pillow. Eventually, she calmed down, relaxing next to me. I sighed and got back up. _If this happens again I'll wake her up. _Until then, she still needed rest.

I walked towards the door, turning around to look at her one last time. She really was a fragile little creature, her skin incredibly pale and so soft. Like silk. Did she have nightmares frequently? I could sympathize with that. I found myself excited for the day that she would sleep upstairs, closer to me, easier to comfort. _Or, she could prefer to sleep down here. Away from the crazy rich guy who gets off on watching her sleep._

I left the room.

Unfortunately, that brought me back to my earlier problem. What to do as I waited? With nothing to distract me I began to think. Where was Bella staying? Did she have a job? Family? Friends? Where was she from? How did she end up in the situation she was when I found her? Did she know her attacker? Why was she so afraid to go to the hospital?

Hundreds of questions. I decided to ask her when she woke up.

* * *

I started dinner at six with the intent of waking her up when it was ready. With no clue as to what she liked I stuck to my original plan of chicken and salad. If she wanted something else, I could make it then.

The table's set, food out, everything where it should be. Why was I still stalling? I knew why; I felt horrible for watching her earlier. Like I had seen something very private, and not only seen it, but intruded upon it. I knew I couldn't have left her like that, still…

"Edward?"

I shot up and over to her door, "Yes?"

The door opened and revealed Bella standing awkwardly with the crutches which were looking way too tall for her. I tried not to look at her too much, tried not to think about her little body wearing my clothing. I led her over to sit on the bed and took the crutches from her. "Sorry, we just need to adjust them a little. I forgot just how short you are."

She scowled at me and I smiled back. "Well, I'm sorry not all of us can be seven feet tall."

She grabbed the crutches out of my hands when I was done and stood. Yes, much better. We made our way down the hall and towards the dining room. She seemed surprised when I pulled her chair out for her, but the surprise quickly melted away, revealing a smile and she sat. Strange. What type of man did she think I was? Or perhaps she wasn't used to a man treating her like a lady? I didn't like that thought at all.

"I wasn't sure what you liked, so I kept it simple."

She smiled. "It's very tasty, thank you. Did you make it?"

I nodded.

"Wow, I would have thought that you'd have your own chef or something." She was sincere about her statement which made me cringe. I forgot about last night. She knew who I was now, meaning she was probably making all sorts of assumptions.

"No, I prefer to do most things on my own. I have a maid, although I think I make her job pretty easy on her. She occasionally makes me something that she learned from when she lived on her reservation." I shoved a piece of chicken in my mouth in an attempt to end the conversation. I looked up as I chewed and caught Bella with a distraught look on her face. I tilted my head to the side in question.

"Reservation?"

I finished chewing, and took another sip of water. Well, this was a bit more of a safe conversation than I was having earlier. "Yes, she's from a Native American reservation in Washington."

I stopped eating for a minute to watch her closely. She seemed very nervous after this information. I saw my chance to ask one of my questions and decided to take it. "So...where are you from Bella?"

She put a piece of chicken in her mouth and chewed, an awkward silence until she finally swallowed and responded, "California."

California? Then why would Washington make her so uncomfortable? "So, what brought you to Chicago?"

She shrugged.

Silence.

"Ah." I didn't know what else to say, so I continued to eat.

After what seemed like an eternity, she put her fork down. "Look, I don't really want to get into it, OK?"

I nodded but didn't take my eyes off of her. I cleared my throat and tried a different approach. "Do you have a place to stay?"

Her eyes widened before she swallowed again, looking down at her plate. "Well… I… I guess I can try to find a motel or something. Or… well…"

Shit! She thought I was kicking her out!

"NO!"

She froze. I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean…I'm not kicking you out." She remained quiet, so I continued. _I just hope she doesn't take this the wrong way._ "Look, I have a lot of space here. I don't know why you're in Chicago, I don't know how you got into that parking lot, but I do know that you don't seem to have anyone or anywhere to go to right now." Her head gave a slight nod. I cleared my throat. "If you need a place to stay…" Those liquid brown eyes met mine and I smiled. "I'd love the company."

Her mouth opened and closed a few times. Her eyes darted between me and her plate. _She thinks I'm propositioning her. She's going to leave. _Her eyes shut tightly. When she opened them again I was met with the most dazzling smile I've ever seen. "Thank you."

* * *

We finished eating in a comfortable silence. I led her to the couch where she waited until I returned with ice packs for her face, wrist, and ankle. I sat on the edge of the couch, happy she wasn't made uneasy by my close proximity.

The swelling had gone down considerably but I sat to inspect the rest of her wounds. I cleaned her bandages, another thought popping in my head. "If you'd like, I can have my Aunt or sister come over tomorrow to help you shower."

She laughed. I could listen to her laugh all day. "Edward, it's just a sprain."

"It's not _just_ a sprain. Generally speaking, you're whole body is sore. I would just feel more comfortable if..."

She was laughing again.

"What?" Was there something funny about my worrying for her safety?

Bella shook her head at me. I couldn't wait for her wounds to clear up so I could see her smile, hear her laugh, completely unblemished by a bruised face and a raspy voice. "I'm sorry; I'm just figuring you out."

I had no idea what that meant, but I smiled anyway. Anything to hear her laugh. "So…"

She looked confused for a second before she smiled. "I don't think it's necessary, but if you insist… How about we do this on Monday though? I'd rather get to know my new roommate tomorrow."

I smiled back. We sat there for a few moments, just watching each other. I hoped my smile wasn't as goofy as it felt.

"You have very pretty eyes," she seemed to blurt out. Ah, that blush was returning. It dawned on me what she had just told me and I willed myself to remain calm.

"Thank you, although I am surprised. Most people comment on my hair." I ran my hand through my hair and tugged a little to emphasize my point. "I never know whether to say brown or red when I'm asked."

She reached up and ran her delicate hand through my hair. I had to stop myself from closing my eyes and moaning. "I'd call it bronze. A coppery bronze color. Like a penny."

"A penny. Hm… We'll have to test that later." We laughed. It went quiet again. "Well, it's getting late. You should probably get some more rest."

She groaned, for a moment reminding me of a kid being put to bed. "I've been sleeping all day."

"Are you really going to try to tell me you're not tired?" I knew she would be. From the beating her body had taken she had to be tired still. Anyway, if she went to bed now, maybe we'd have more time together tomorrow and I could try to clear up some more things. Barely any of our questions were answered. I was sure she had some about me as well.

She went to protest with me only to yawn. I chuckled. "Come on, sleeping beauty. Time for bed."

I took the ice packs and handed the crutches back to her. She rolled her eyes but took them anyway. When we reached her door, I stopped. "Do you need any help?"

She just stared at me. I looked back, inspecting those eyes. So strange. A solid brown that seemed to represent the mystery that surrounded her. For a moment, I wanted to lean in. To touch my lips to hers, to feel how soft they were, how she tasted. _Definitely not appropriate._

I cleared my throat. "Well, goodnight then."

I turned away from her and made my way to my room. Behind me I heard a quiet, "Goodnight, Edward… Thank you." Followed by a closing door.

I couldn't believe myself. I almost kissed her. This sweet, innocent angel. I almost kissed her.

Yes, I was going to hell.

* * *

A/N: This story is going to go a little slow to begin with, just to warn you. It needs to be done. Next chapter should be longer.

Not many reviews this time around, but the ones I got made my life.

Question: If you guys could cast anyone as Elizabeth Masen, who would it be? I had my own idea but I never really liked it.

Please review, especially if you put me on alert! I'm love that I'm on your favorites and alerts but I'd also just love to hear from you!


	4. Isabel Dwyer

Disclaimer: I own the DVDs of _Original Sin_ and _Twilight_; along with the series…I do not own any of the characters or such things. That's all Stephenie Meyer

A/N: I have three chapters and a bunch of reviews so far which is freaken awesome. I love you all and the women at TLYDF, thank you so much for fighting over me! I am so honored. And as always, thank you to my wonderful beta Sobriquet Queen.

Segolily is awesome and made me a nifty thread on Twilighted. Come say hi. http://www(DOT)twilighted(DOT)net/forum/viewtopic(DOT)php?f=44&t=3383

* * *

I ended up spending most of the night playing the piano. Bed was my original intent, but when I got upstairs the piano was just sitting there, calling to me. The notes just flowed through my fingers until I finally forced myself to stop, reminding myself of what was in store for me the next day: my first full day with Bella.

A good four hours of sleep later, I woke up at seven and waited around, praying that even if Bella wasn't an early riser, she was all sleeped out by now. Unable to think of anything else, I began to make breakfast. Pancakes seemed like the obvious choice so I started searching through the cupboards to get the ingredients together.

"Breakfast too?" I jumped a little, surprised to see Bella smiling at me from the kitchen entrance. "You definitely are not what I was expecting, Edward."

I tried to smile back, but something about that statement unnerved me. "Expecting?"

She chuckled a little as she came up to sit on the counter. "Edward… Anyone who's ever picked up a paper knows who you are. You've been surrounded by money your whole life. I mean, the Masens, the Cullens, the Platts… each family contributing to the millions and millions and mill-"

"Ok, I get it. I try not to look at the papers any more." One can only hear about 'poor little Edward Masen' so much. When they started to write articles about the millionaire bachelor who barely had a date, asking questions about my mental state since my parent's deaths, writing about drugs and alcohol that I was apparently doing (I learned quickly that drinking wasn't a good idea for me, and I had never touched a cigarette let alone a drug in my life), I lost all interest.

"I don't really blame you. Last I heard you were secretly married to Britney Spears." She laughed it off and I smiled at her joke.

"Oh yes, I keep her in my basement. I can't keep her anywhere else since she randomly breaks out into song." I cringed at my lame joke before going back to the pancake batter. This conversation could turn bad quickly since I wasn't the only one from my family who was in the papers. If there was one thing I did not want to discuss this morning, it was my parents.

We started to cook together, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that Bella knew her way around the kitchen as well. We ended up with more than either of us could eat, just enjoying each other's company as we cooked. It was comfortable. It was right. It helped to confirm my suspicions that she definitely belonged here.

We sat down to eat among our eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, and pancakes. She cleared her throat, and I watched her as she smiled at me. "OK, it's time."

"Time for what?" I asked, confused.

"Time to get to know your roommate!" She looked so excited as she declared this and I couldn't help but laugh. I wondered idly, what exactly does getting to know your roommate entail? My thoughts went back to our earlier conversation and I couldn't help the anxiety that built in my chest. Well, hopefully this would be a more lighthearted day. I feigned a serious look and waved my hand telling her to go on. "OK… First things first… How old were you when you lost your virginity?"

Between the question and the look on her face, I burst out laughing. Well, there went any of my suspicions. "Are you serious?"

She nodded her head enthusiastically. "I know who you are, but if we're going to be living together I need to _who_ you are."

"…and the age I lost my virginity will tell you that?" I asked, amused by her logic.

"Well, yes. In a way. I mean, this is the first of many personal questions that I have for you." She said with the utmost confidence. I couldn't help but get nervous again. "Unless you're going to try to tell me you're a virgin."

I raised an eyebrow. "Would you believe me?"

"Nope."

I laughed. "Seventeen."

"What?"

"Seventeen. I was seventeen when I lost it." I responded. I wanted to ask her the same question in return but it felt incredibly wrong. I was raised a certain way; asking a girl when she lost her virginity most definitely wasn't a part of that.

She nodded her head. "A cute guy like you, I would have thought it would have been younger."

I shrugged. "I was a bit of a dork when I was younger."

She grinned back at me. "Who was she?"

I finished chewing a piece of bacon before continuing. I would need to tread lightly here. "A girl from High School, Angela Weber. One of the purest souls I'd ever met, I don't think she had a bad thing to say about anyone. We went out for a few months before it happened, and we didn't really last long after that. We remained friends though. I still see her occasionally."

It was a censored version. I decided it was all she would get.

"You?" The gentlemen in me cringed. _I'm sure her questions will get more personal anyway, may as well get an answer where you can._

She flinched._ OK, maybe this was one-sided questioning._ "Sixteen. How many women have you been with?"

I groaned. "Including Angela?"

She nodded.

"Three."

She then spent some time wondering out loud how a twenty eight year old, rich, good looking guy could have only ever slept with three women. One of which, she said, barely counted since it was a disaster of a one-night stand.

Yes, this was going to be a very interesting day.

* * *

By lunch she knew almost every date I'd ever been on, any girlfriends I'd ever had, and a bunch of other inane random facts about me. I knew barely anything about her. Anytime I tried to retaliate with a personal question she would answer curtly and quickly move on. The only answers I wanted regarded Friday night and I was quickly finding that those weren't going to come for a while.

Well, I could at least have one answer. "So, it just hit me that I don't even know your full name."

I was putting our lunch together as I asked, certain that this was among the easier of my questions. Granted, I had been sure that asking where she was from would be an easy one as well. But this was her name. How hard of a question could that be?

She seemed just as hesitant to answer.

"Isabel… Isabel Dwyer."

I nodded my head, unsure of how to respond. Hesitance. Again. Another wall. Should I know her name? Was she like me? I rushed through names in my head, trying to think of anywhere I had heard it. Nope, I was positive the name was new to me. _Is it even real?_ But what reason did she have to lie?

"I much prefer Bella, though."

I turned to her and tried to smile, signaling for us to go to the table. "Bella it is then." If she saw the strain in my smile, she didn't comment. We began to eat in silence before she decided it was time for more questions.

"So, how does your family respond to your relationship status?"

I sighed. _And we're back to this again_. "My Aunt Esme wishes I would find someone and settle down. Half of my dates were her or Alice's doing. The best was the few months that they were convinced I was gay, that took a while to convince them otherwise."

She almost spat out her drink at that one. I waited for her to stop laughing and then raised an eyebrow at her, making it quite clear that there would be no more to _that _conversation. She took another bite of her sandwich before a thoughtful look appeared on her face. _Here it comes…_ "Alright, I have to ask… Rosalie Hale?"

"False." But the tabloids loved that rumor. "Don't get me wrong, she's a beautiful girl and we are very good friends but that was more our families wanting another great match to add to this growing empire." I said the last part in a sarcastic tone knowing she would get it. My family history was borderline arranged, the Hales and the Masen(-Cullen)'s would have made complete sense.

"I was honestly wondering when her name would come up earlier. I was surprised when it didn't. I mean, she's one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen." She replied, referencing the earlier questioning about my romantic history.

I shrugged again. "I guess. She's not really my type. I prefer brune…"

I stopped myself and looked down.

"So, leggy blondes aren't really your type then?"

I chanced a look back at her and my eyes widened. Even through the bruises I could see the intent in her eyes. Was she flirting with me? _Yes... I think she is. _I cleared my throat. "No, not really."

_Please don't ask. Please don't ask._

"So…what _is _your type?" Those brown eyes were clouded over with something I didn't think I could handle at the moment. This whole thing was going somewhere I didn't even want to think about. Quickly, I decided to take control.

"No, no. I think we're done with your game. It's my turn now."

Her eyes became a wall again as she watched me suspiciously. I ignored it. Grabbing both of our plates I dumped them into the sink and walked back into the dining room. She raised an eye brow as I pulled out her chair, and shrieked when I picked her up. "Edward! I thought we agreed I can walk!"

"We're going upstairs," I replied.

"Oh? What's upstairs?"

I ignored any suggestion in her tone.

"It's time we discuss my favorite pastime. Music."

* * *

She'd been completely amazed by my music room, looking through all my CDs, commenting on many. It was amazing how similar our tastes were. Whether it be rock music or classical, her range was as great as my own. As strange as it sounded, I could feel our connection growing as we spoke together, this time without any walls. _This _was Bella.

We spoke about movies, books, and even schooling. School was a mostly one-sided conversation on my part. Once we got beyond High School she shut down. Again, I decided not to push. She would come to trust me on her own time. I hoped.

We were making our way downstairs to begin dinner when the doorbell rang. I placed her on the couch and frowned towards the door.

"Expecting company?"

_Am I?_ I was heading towards the door when it dawned on me. I groaned. How had I forgotten?

I opened the door to the smiling face of my sister, ready for a nice dinner with her brother. My weekend was becoming full of surprises.

* * *

A/N: Edward's story isn't going to be too mysterious. Sorry. My Angela is the Angela from the movie. I think she was absolutely beautiful and it seemed more realistic for him to lose it to a good girl then someone like Jessica or Lauren.

Elizabeth Masen: 1 Cate Blanchett, 1 Diane Lane, 1 Susan Surandon, 1 Mary Louise Parker, 1 Julianne Moore. Julianne Moore was my choice. Anyone else have any thoughts?

Alright, how about Ms. Leah Clearwater? Who would we cast for her?

Please, review! And come by the forum, the link is on top. I'd love to hear some theories or questions and all that good stuff.


	5. Doubt

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all. Except the movies I mention. Neither of us own those.

Dedications: To my beta Sobriquet Queen (because she said I didn't have to thank her anymore in my Author's Notes…psh). And because she ignored the Wide Awake update to beta my story, which is awesome.

To Segolily for my banner and my forum (link at the end of chapter). And for her story **The Weed Collector**.

Also to phnxprncss for giving me a rec in her beautiful story **Purest of Pain** and for making me more signature buttons or whatever you call them. You guys are just too good to me. You should read her story because the rec wasn't the only thing that made my heart happy. (Well…it's a depressing story, but awesome so far).

And, finally araeo because she found this story all on her own when, in fact, her story is what inspired me to write this. **The Ritual: La Louche** is an amazing with an alcoholic Bella and a questionable Edward who wants to save her. Everyone should read it.

A/N: End of school, too many updates to keep up with, constant Darkward mode…My Edward isn't dark. So yea, took me a while to write. (Sobriquet is going to kill me for how long this A/N is)

* * *

Alice Cullen came to live with the Cullens when she was fifteen. My Aunt and Uncle had already taken me in with open arms by that time. I was four years her senior and in college, but we still got along wonderfully. From the first time we met she was my sister in every way but blood and we have remained close every since. When both of us had time (which was frequent) she would come over and we would make dinner together, catching up. Sometimes we would watch a movie, others she would just berate me over my lack of a love life.

Looking into those big blue eyes I could never remember a time when her presence brought anything but comfort. Even as she went on and on about women and how I should try harder, etc., I always knew it was because of love.

This was definitely a first. Because all I wanted at the moment was for her to leave.

Granted… Her presence could be a blessing_._ If there was one thing my sister had a talent for, it was bluntness.

"Uh, Edward?" I snapped out of my thoughts and watched my sister raise a delicate eyebrow, her lips contorted into a smirk. "You gonna let me in?"

"Of course." I opened the door wider, ready to take her aside to discuss my new situation. I forget how fast my sister can be.

"Um…hello."

I ran into the living room where Bella was currently awkwardly saying hello to my very shocked sister. I stopped next to Alice. "Alice, this is my friend Bella. She'll be staying here for a little while."

Ever the bundle of energy, I was quickly dragged into the kitchen and out of earshot from Bella. I sighed. I had assumed she'd ask all her questions of Bella, being someone new, and being a woman in my home. What I didn't expect was the look of sheer terror on my sister's face. Did Bella look worse than I thought? Maybe because I'd been with her the whole weekend I stopped noticing the bruises? Ugh, I was an idiot. Of course Alice would be shocked!

"Edward…you…she…I mean, you didn't…" She trailed off. Her eyes darted nervously from the entrance to the kitchen back to me. I felt sick.

_She couldn't possibly think…_ My hands became fists at my side and I forced myself to remain calm. "What are you asking me?"

"It's just…Well…I saw—and then, I come here and there's this strange girl on your couch, looking as if someone had beat-"

"You think I did this?"

She flinched at my tone. I was too shocked to care. This was my sister! What kind of a man did she take me for?

"It's just, when we were younger…You would get so angry, Edward." Her anxious tone wasn't helping her any. The fact that I was seething wasn't helping me any. But whether I was angry or not, I wasn't where I used to be.

"Alice…When have you ever seen me raise a hand against a woman?" I asked, softer this time. Technically, she couldn't answer this question positively. She hadn't known me as a teenager, or when I first came to live with my Aunt and Uncle. But I had never actually hit a woman, and the one time I came close I was filled with guilt for days. My Aunt definitely did not deserve it and while my issues didn't subside until my more recent years, my temper was never turned towards her again.

Besides, the only time I'd been angry this weekend was when I thought about who did this to Bella. Other than that, her presence kept me calm. Frustrated? Yes. But never angry.

Alice shrugged then, a child-like curiosity filling her features, "So, who is she?"

Alice had lived a very sheltered life. When I say sheltered, I mean she may as well have lived in a box. This box wasn't too small, but it gave her an inclination towards overreaction and made her overly trusting of the answers she was given. Not that she shouldn't trust me. But it did allow her to go from thinking her brother was beating (I cringed at the thought) a random girl to happily moving on to the mystery in the living room. If this conversation were to ever be brought up again she would probably laugh at the misunderstanding, perhaps barely even understanding the magnitude of the accusation.

I sighed. Sometimes it was best to move on with her.

"She ran into me in the parking lot so I brought her home and took care of her."

Alice stood and stared at me for what seemed like forever. I stared back. She then moved her head and waved her hand. "And?"

I shrugged.

"Didn't you bring her to the hospital? Take her to the police?" She was talking to me like I was an idiot. _You kind of are._

"She didn't want to go."

The little pixie was getting incredibly frustrated. "Do you even know what happened?"

I shrugged again. "She doesn't want to talk about it."

It was wrong, I know. But the more nonchalant I was about this, the more curious Alice would get and the more likely it would be that she would start questioning Bella. Maybe I could finally get an answer or two.

"Ooooo, a mystery!" She narrowed her eyes and smirked. I rolled my eyes. Great, Nancy Drew was on the case. I started as she suddenly clapped her hands and ran into the living room. Well, if anyone can get an answer out of Isabel, it's Alice.

* * *

"Edward has seen more chick flicks then he can count. I've brought over Moulin Rouge, Pretty Woman, Milk Money, The Wedding Date…"

I groaned. "Don't remind me."

We all laughed and I smiled at Bella from my armchair. Alice had quickly introduced herself and sat next to Bella on the couch. Any plans for dinner were quickly changed and I ended up ordering a pizza. Now we sat in the living room, Bella and Alice sipping wine while I held a barely touched can of Pepsi. Alice had already declared she would stay over and take care of getting Bella anything she needed tomorrow.

There was something slightly _off _about my sister as she spoke to Bella. I assumed it had something to do with her battered appearance. Maybe even the conversation we had earlier. I cringed. I hoped it wasn't the conversation earlier.

I felt a familiar twinge of guilt. Apparently my issues from when we were younger had left an even deeper scar on Alice than I once thought. If she could even consider that I was capable of beating a poor defenseless woman…I ran a hand through my hair. How do I fix that?

"So Bella, what brought you to Chicago?"

Alice was watching Bella expectantly and I wondered if the wine was apart of her plan. When Bella's eyes turned to stone, I knew it wouldn't be easy. She shrugged. "You know. The usual."

Brown eyes met mine and I smiled, hopefully reassuring her. _Its okay, you're safe. You can tell us._

My sister shifted a little and I was surprised at how determined she looked. "Look, Bella, you seem really nice, but here's what I know: my family has a lot of money. It's known by, well, everyone, that Edward has access to most of this money. Many girls have tried to get to him because of this, but," she looked at me then and smiled, "my brother doesn't seem to be interested in the world of the rich and spoiled. But someone who doesn't know who he is…A 'damsel' who just happened to stumble—"

I opened my mouth to stop this. Rosalie was definitely starting to influence my sweet little sister's outlook on people. She was taking a chance coincidence and making it sound like a planned out con. Bella beat me to it.

"Alice, I know how bad this looks. I didn't mean…" She looked away and I watched her eyes begin to water. "I came here to get away from some bad stuff in…in California. I don't really have much of anything…I got a job for a bit but was fired." She smiled hesitantly at me. "I'm really clumsy. I've been living out of a motel…"

She stopped speaking and took a long shaking breath. Alice took Bella's fragile hand in her own little one. "Bella, what happened to you?"

Bella glanced up at me before reverting her eyes to the floor. "I…"

Breathe deeply. Look at anything other than the people around you. Blink. It helps the eyes to water. Was she thinking of what to say? I tried to shake the idea. I wasn't any better than Alice. But…

"I had gone for a walk that night. I know, it was stupid, young woman walking around that area late at night…When I got back to the motel, I…I guess someone followed me. He pushed me in and…" Another deep breath.

Alice put her arm around her and threw me a distressed look. I nodded to her. "Bella, did he…?"

She shook her head no. "I fought, he fought back. I grabbed a blanket as a way to cover myself and keep him away. I didn't want…" Breathe. "I think he may have been drunk because I managed to…I ran out. I don't know if he followed me…That's when I ran into Edward."

Alice began to hug Bella to her, making shushing sounds and telling her she was safe. My sister's box allowed for easy access. Bella's story made sense in her mind, she gave it convincingly, and from the gleam in Alice's eye it also gave her brother a love interest. She saw me as the white knight that would save Bella, fall madly in love, and live happily ever after.

I'll admit the idea was a little appealing.

"_You always need to watch. A person can give a lot away with the smallest of gestures. Be on guard."_

"_Except for women."_

"_No Liz, _especially_ with women. What type of ideas are you getting into the boy's head? You're a good boy with a promising future ahead of you; any woman would love to sink her teeth into you."_

"_Don't listen to your father,honey. When she comes, you'll know. And no lawyer trick will ever be able to help you then."_

I shook my head. Mom was a natural born romantic; my father was a lawyer. Needless to say, they didn't agree much. I got my ability to read people from him. I cursed it.

Bella's eyes continuously went from the floor to me and then back again. Nervous? Was she seeing if I believed her? Did I?

Her story didn't make much sense…at all. From the bruises she had acquired it look like someone had just beaten her up and let her run. Who does that? Granted, there are weirder things…Was I looking too far into this? Did I doubt too much?

I swiped my hand through my hair again. She was beautiful, she was sweet, she seemed so innocent…I'd never been so interested or attracted to a woman before in my life.

Still…

I didn't believe her.

* * *

Alice and I walked up the stairs, on our way to bed. Alice always slept in the same room when she slept here. I briefly wondered if she should sleep downstairs, closer to Bella, but changed my mind. She was an early riser, like me, so I was sure Alice would be awake and ready to help Bella.

"Edward?"

I turned towards my sister and smiled at her.

"Have you told her the rules of the house yet?" She tilted her head towards my parent's door. "About your own personal 'west wing'?"

I rolled my eyes. Leave it to Alice to make a _Beauty and the Beast_ reference about something like this. "No, I haven't yet. It's not like she can climb the stairs alone anyway."

No one went into my parent's room. No one. Not me, not my Aunt or Uncle, not Leah, and neither would Bella.

We stared at each other. Alice was uncomfortable with my rule, she always had been, hence the jokes when it came to it.

_Oh! Leah…_I almost forgot about her. "Alice, do you think you'll be up by the time Leah comes?" Alice looked horrified. "Alice, you know she's not that bad."

"Sure, to _you_ she's not!"

Leah was a complicated case. Had been from the moment she came to work for me. In the beginning it was a purely professional relationship; the idea of speaking to me about anything but the cleaning of my house seemed to anger her. As time went by we started an awkward friendship until she would occasionally join me for dinner. We had an understanding. Two lonely people who were scarred for some reason or another enjoying each other's company.

Alice and Aunt Esme didn't get it. Alice was convinced that Leah was in love with me. My Aunt was much like my mother, only hers was a constant romantic comedy instead of a romantic tragedy. Apparently I was destined to fall in love with the maid and we would heal each other's hearts.

I gave up trying to explain.

"Look, I'll leave a note on the kitchen table, but you're going to need to explain. She's never been anything but civil to you." She opened her mouth to protest but I cut her off. "And I expect the same. Just stay out of her way. You'll be out of the house for the most part anyway."

She nodded, looking at me like a petulant child.

I thought again about our conversation earlier in the night. Something had been bothering me, other than the obvious. "Alice, earlier tonight…"

I was cut off by little arms wrapped around my neck, my body suddenly hung over with her weight. "I'm so sorry about that, Edward! I was wrong!"

I patted her bag and hugged her back. "I know, Alice. It's OK." _I'm sorry you even got that idea in your head. _I grabbed her arms and gently tugged my neck free. "But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

She wiped her eyes and I frowned. Great, I made her cry. "What is it, Edward?"

"What did you mean earlier when you said 'you saw'?" I knew I hit a nerve when she backed away, her eyes fixed on the floor. I kept my voice quiet knowing how sensitive this subject was to her. "Alice, did you stop taking your medication again?"

She bit her lip and I knew it was true. My sister suffered from temporal lobe epilepsy and would mistake these seizures for visions of the future. The Brandons, her original family, had been a religious one and believed her to be a witch. When my Uncle found her she was in a mental institution. He easily diagnosed her and adopted her, but none of us could convince her the visions weren't real.

"Alice, you know how dangerous that is!"

She shook her head violently, tears flying, and I stopped. It was late, she was tipsy, we were both tired, and we both had a busy day ahead of us. I'd let my Uncle take care of this. "Shh, it's okay. We'll talk about this later." I wrapped my arms around her small frame and rubbed her back. Her sobs seemed to die down and I frowned at her panicked reaction. I pulled away and lightly kissed her forehead before smiling at her. Through her tears she smiled back. "I'm sorry I brought it up, it's been a long day."

I didn't know what to think about her ending her medication, again. I had a feeling she never started taking it again after the last time. She always found a reason to stop but would never explain her reasoning. I admit her visions were usually met with some sort of a coincidence… Still…

It continued to bother me as I entered my bedroom and got ready for bed. What if she wasn't lying? There were a lot of coincidences… I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking.

"_I saw…"  
_

What? What did she see?

* * *

A/N: I ended up putting a lot in this chapter, but not so much what I wanted to. The second half was supposed to be with Leah but I ended up with more from Edward and Alice. Eh, it works.

In _Beauty and the Beast_ the West Wing is the one place Belle isn't allowed to venture into. It's a big no-no.

Potential Leahs: 1 Rosario Dawson, 1 Michelle Rodriguez, 1 Tinsel Korey, who is actually the only Native American actress as an idea but will be playing Emily so probably not. I personally see Crystle Lightning because **Cowboys & Indians **by Minisinoo said so…Awesome story by the way, everyone should read it.

Most of you seem to agree with my choice of Elizabeth, awesome.

Question: Edward Masen Sr.? I have no clue with him so I'm asking here.

You guys are doing great with reviews, thank you so much. Please, continue!

http://www(DOT)twilighted(DOT)net/forum/viewtopic(DOT)php?f=44&t=3383

My forum. Come have fun chats.


	6. Snooping Around

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns the characters and Cornell Woolrich owns _Waltz into Darkness_. I do own a computer with wallpaper of Robert Pattinson that I sometimes sit down and stare at all day.

Dedication: To my wonderful beta **Sobriquet Queen** who's become like that editor who I rant to. **Segolily** for my banner and my forum (link on the bottom) and **stolenxsanity** for her icons as well. And everyone else who has posted on the forum. We are few but we manage to have fun anyway!

A/N: I have almost 98 reviews! Whoot! But yea, sorry for the wait. I get distracted. Speaking of which:

**There Will Be Blood** by LaraWinner, read it. It's hot.

Alice's vision: There is a really good chance you guys won't find out what it is for sure. I'm sorry, I honestly didn't think I'd get so many questions about it. The vision is more of a tool to mess with Edward's head.

* * *

My father would have rolled in his grave if he could have seen me. I didn't want to think about what my mother would say.

I didn't speak to Bella any more about the night with Alice or the story she told. I asked no more questions about her past. In all honesty, I don't think I wanted to know.

Alice took Bella out to get anything she needed - clothes, a cell phone, and any other necessities a girl could need. Bella seemed uncomfortable with the arrangement, but kept quiet and allowed us to spoil her. I hoped that soon she would feel comfortable enough to voice her objections out loud. I wondered if she ever would.

Her bruises were healing very well, as was her ankle. I was thinking that maybe it was time to introduce her to my family. They're a tight-knit group and the sooner I introduced Bella to them, the better.

"Oh! Doctor! You have a call!"

I nodded at the nurse and rushed to my office.

My Aunt was constantly checking up on me. I got a call from her almost every other day. She was catching on to something odd going on, and I assumed this call would be, once again, filled with her suspicions.

I answered the phone and was pleasantly surprised by the voice that greeted me.

"Well, hello there, dear cousin."

I grinned. "Well, hello Tanya. To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?"

She faked a gasp. "Why, Edward! I'm surprised at you! We've been doing the same thing for how long now?"

_Shit. _

"The barbeque… Is it that time of the year already?" I groaned.

She laughed. "Unfortunately. Although I have no girlfriend this time around so at least we won't need to have that conversation."

I scoffed. "No more Jessica?"

"Now now, Edward. You're not still sore about that are you? If you had sexed the girl up a little bit she probably wouldn't have been so quick to jump into my bed."

I rolled my eyes even though I knew she couldn't see it. "I'm not going to sleep with a girl just so my lesbian cousin doesn't get her hands on them."

"Speaking of girls…"

_And here it comes…_

"A little birdie told me that you may be bringing a guest this year."

_Nice job keeping this under wraps, Alice._

"Maybe. I'm unsure as of yet."

She hummed. "Better be careful, Edward; this one may be curious like the last. I _am_ single now, you know."

"Hardy har har, Tanya. So this will be on…?"

I pulled the phone away from my year as she laughed heartily at my sarcasm. "Next Saturday."

We made small talk about her sisters and our jobs before hanging up. Great. I was hoping I'd be able to slowly bring Bella into the family. The barbecue … Tanya and her other sister's would surely be there, along with Rosalie and whoever the hell she drags along with her.

This would not be good. This would be like throwing Bella to the wolves. Between Esme's pushing for marriage and children, Alice's little fairy tale fantasies, Rosalie's suspicions, and Tanya… ugh, Tanya was a lawyer for God's sake! She's almost as good at reading people as I am, and I was sure that she wouldn't reach the same conclusions that I did.

I ran a hand through my hair.

This... would be complicated.

* * *

I arrived home to yelling and ran into the living room to find an irate Leah yelling up the stairs while Bella stumbled down, clutching the railing to take the weight off her still healing ankle.

"I'm sorry, I had no idea I wasn't supposed to—"

"Why were you snooping up there in the first place?"

"I wasn't snooping!"

"Whoa, whoa!" I yelled. Both girls looked at me, their expressions going from glaring anger to relief. I moved past Leah and helped Bella make the rest of the way down the stairs. "Anyone want to explain to me what's going on?"

Leah crossed her arms across her chest and went back to glaring at Bella. "I found her upstairs, snooping around."

"I wasn't snooping!"

I sighed. "Leah, Bella will be staying here for a while. She's allowed to explore the house."

"So she's allowed in _every_ room?" Her dark glare turned towards me.

_Every?_ "Oh." I froze. Bella looked up at me, confused by my reaction. I took a deep breath and looked back at the two of them. "Bella, why don't you go sit down? I'll join you in a few minutes. Leah, can I talk to you for a second?"

We moved to the foyer while Bella took a seat on the living room couch, out of hearing distance. As soon as I looked at her, Leah began.

"I don't like this, Edward. I don't like this one bit." She shook her head at me declaring, "There is something very very wrong here."

I ran a hand through my hair. "Leah, I know these circumstances are… strange. But Bella was hurt, and she needed a place to stay."

I hoped that Leah's own past would give her some sympathy for Bella. Granted, when I had offered Leah a place to stay when she first began to work here, she'd vehemently refused. I ended up paying her a very large sum of money to clean the house claiming that all house keepers were paid that much around here. I'm still not sure if she actually believed me.

Leah was a very strong woman and a very hard one.

"I don't trust her."

And a very harsh judge of character.

"Look, Leah, I'm sorry, but she's a guest in my home."

Those black eyes narrowed at me as my own begged her to understand. Heaving a sigh, she began pacing. When she opened her mouth next, it was clear she was taking a new approach. "You know she gets strange calls during the day? She's not supposed to know anyone here, but really, how many wrong numbers can one person get?"

I frowned. Well, she did have a point. Who could Bella possibly be speaking to so much? Ridiculously, the first thought in my mind was some sort of boyfriend. Maybe the one who had beat her. A flare of jealousy bit through me. I was being foolish.

"The number she's using could have been someone else's at one point. Maybe these people don't know the number belongs to someone else now." It was a completely logical explanation. I'd known people who had been in similar situations. I would have to speak to Bella about it and offer her a new phone number.

Leah had her arms crossed again as she gave me a look that clearly said she wasn't buying any of this. "And the way she was snooping around in your parents' bedroom?"

My eyes widened and I all but yelled. "She went in?"

For a moment it looked like she was ready to lie. Instead, she sighed and shook her head. "No, but it was clear she was planning on it."

"Well… I technically never told her she wasn't allowed to-"

"EDWARD!" She interrupted me, clearly distressed. My eyes widened at her outburst. Leah usually didn't let her emotions get so carried away; usually she was very cool. If anything, the only strong emotion I ever saw from her was anger. Now she just looked incredibly worried. "I know her, Edward…"

"What?" This was new. How would they know each other? I thought of the way that Bella had originally responded to my mention of the reservation. Could that be why?

Leah sighed in frustration and moved her hands to her hips. "She _claims_ that she's never seen me before. But I swear, Edward, I _know_ her."

"Leah…" I would need to tread lightly here. I didn't want her to think I didn't believe her because she was sure as hell making a lot more sense then I ever did when it came to Bella. But there was one thing with her story that was bothering me. "Do you remember where you know her from?"

She looked even more frustrated and I instantly knew the answer. "Maybe she just looks like someone."

She angrily shook her head back and forth. Then she looked right at me and suddenly she became almost…vulnerable. Only once before did she look like this, and that was when she explained her circumstances for leaving the reservation.

Leah moved closer to me. "Don't allow this to happen, Edward. You're a good man. And she… I can tell, Edward. I can feel it. She's no good."

I started to rub her forearm in a comforting fashion, unsure of what I could possibly say to convince her. I thought of the conversation I'd had with Alice for a second before shaking it off. My friend was worrying about me; not everything needed to have some crazy deeper meaning.

"She's not my girlfriend, Leah. Just a friend I'm helping. Don't worry so much. I'm not allowing anything to happen because there is nothing happening."

She nodded but I knew she was only humoring me for now. Maybe hoping that I was right. _I_ hoped I was right. "Hey, do you want to stay for dinner? Who knows, maybe you'll end up liking her."

Leah always used to stay for dinner. Ever since Bella moved in, Leah was out the door by the time I arrived. This was probably the first conversation I had had with her since my life had changed so drastically.

Quickly, her expression changed back to frustration and I moved my arm. "No, thank you. I actually needed to talk to you about something."

"What is it?"

"I'm going to need to go back to the Rez for a few weeks. I'm sorry for such late warning but one of the Elders' wives just gave birth." She laughed bitterly. "I didn't even know she was pregnant."

I nodded slowly, grateful for the change the conversation was taking. "An Elder?"

"Yes, Billy's wife is half his age, but no one cared about _that. Especially_ since she just gave birth to a boy." Leah had a lot of problems with her family and the other's in the reservation. I honestly didn't understand the whole thing but from what I could tell the Natives there were still very traditional in their ways. Being a strong, independent woman didn't seem to bode well in that place.

"Are you going to be alright?" I asked, suddenly nervous for her well being. I knew barely anything about the place, but from what I did know, there would be certain people there that she wouldn't want to see at all.

Her exterior hardened again. "I'll be fine."

I nodded and smiled at her. "If you need any help at all, you know you can always call me."

She raised an eyebrow before giving me a slow nod. She hated it when I offered help, but she knew by now that I would offer no matter what her opinions on it were.

Leah started towards the front door before stopping and turning towards me again. "Don't allow her to cloud your vision, Edward."

"_Be on guard."_

"Especially_ with women_._"_

* * *

When I walked back to the living room, Bella was still sitting in her spot on the couch, reading. I looked at the cover and saw that it was my copy of _Waltz into Darkness__. _

"Is that why you went upstairs?" I asked, motioning towards the book.

She looked at me sheepishly and nodded her head. "I wanted something to read and I thought I remembered some books in the music room." Quietly, she added, "I hope I didn't cause too much trouble."

I shook my head. "Not at all. You're a guest in my home, not a prisoner. You are welcome anywhere…"

"Except…"

"You know the room on the right end of the hallway?" I asked.

A nod of her head told me she knew exactly what I was talking about.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't go in there."

Bella looked intrigued and I cringed at her obvious curiosity. Thankfully, she seemed to understand because her expression changed to one of understanding.

Before giving her the chance to change her mind and voice the inevitable questions, I decided to change the subject. "So, how are you enjoying the book?"

She made a face and I had to laugh. "Honestly? It was the first thing I grabbed and it seemed interesting enough…"

I grinned at her and she made another face. "It doesn't seem like your type of book."

That comment seemed to cause her some distress. "What type of books do you see me reading?"

I ran a hand through my hair before taking a seat beside her. "I don't know… Maybe something more classic. Maybe a romance, some Austen or the Brontës…" I shrugged.

"I used to… _Wuthering Heights_ was one of my favorites. But yea, you're right about Jane Austen too." It looked like she was getting ready to say more before stopping. Stone. Again, a stone wall covered her eyes as she shrugged. "I haven't really had the chance to read in a long time."

I sighed. Part of me wanted to pry but the other part was enjoying the flow of conversation before she shut down again. I tried to start the conversation again. "_Wuthering Heights_, huh?"

She smiled at me and I knew I caught her when her eyes turned to liquid again. "Heathcliff has such a deep love for Catherine and it turns him into such a bitter man… But there's strength in his character as well." She laughs a little and lifts up the book before her. "Well, stronger than Louis over here. He's just downright pathetic."

I lifted an eyebrow. "So you prefer the man who loves so much he ruins the lives around him over Louis, whose only crime is loving so much that he almost destroys himself?"

She raised her eyebrow right back at me and makes quote signs with her fingers. "'Loves' her. But really, how can he possibly love her so much when he doesn't even know who she really is?"

For some reason that I didn't understand, this conversation was making me uncomfortable. Maybe it was my mother speaking, but I never saw the book that way. Julia was a ever changing character who entered Louis' life with a lie and continued to spread deceit wherever she went from then on. Louis loved her so deeply he was willing to overlook every flaw and be with her no matter what the cost.

Was it really better to become bitter when love is lost? To destroy one life after another because the one you wanted can never be yours? Or is it better to fight for the one you love? To remain devoted, to compromise one's very being in order to win the one who owns your heart?

I wanted to say this to Bella, but something stopped me. The way she looked at me, it was like she was trying to warn me…

I shook the thoughts away. "You know, I have a lot of the classics upstairs. I can show them to you if you want."

"Maybe…" She trailed off and I knew I lost her.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked, aware that I was probably pushing my luck.

She frowned at me but nodded.

"Why did you stop reading them?"

Bella took her lower lip between her teeth and her frown grew deeper. For a second I was sure she wouldn't answer, but as usual, she surprised me. "I guess, as I grew up, the stories just seemed so… fake. I once saw beauty in the romance and the deep love between the characters but…" She shook her head. "I don't know. I just got over it." A shrug. "Hey, when are we making dinner?"

I blinked. "Oh, yea. We can get it started now if you're hungry?"

She nodded and we made our way to the kitchen. Bella had been surprising me with her culinary skills lately, but for the first time my mind wasn't on that.

I heard her unspoken words. She stopped reading romances when she lost faith in them. Bella had been hurt by a man, maybe more than once, changing her view on love.

The expected protectiveness set in; the desire to find whatever man had managed to hurt her so badly and kill him was strong as well.

Then I felt a tug in my chest. One that was continually getting stronger and stronger from the moment I first looked into those chocolate brown eyes.

What I really, truly wanted, was to hold her in my arms and prove to her that love was very, very real.

* * *

A/N: And there we have Leah. Yes, I'm sorry, she'll be away for a little while but she will return. When she returns she will be a little harder like the Leah we all know and love, and she will raise some Hell. Whoop! (Her story is another that isn't too important, just something that didn't seem to have a place in the chapter)

My perfect Tanya is lesbian Tanya. I don't know why, I just prefer her being into the ladies. I thank _The Discovery of Bella Swan _by mskathy for introducing me to her; everyone should read the story. It's awesome.

_Waltz Into Darkness _is the book the movie _Original Sin_ is based on. Sorry if I offended anyone with the _Wuthering Heights_ stuff, I just never understood the appeal of the guy.

Edward Anthony Masen Sr.: Jude Law, Joaquin Pheonix (before the hobo), Peter Gallagher, Richard Gere (which was actually my choice).

So, I always see Tanya as Rachel McAdams, which is when I started to like her. How 'bout you guys? I'm more curious about what you guys think Irina and Kate look like though. I have no image of them in my head.

http://www(DOT)twilighted(DOT)net/forum/viewtopic(DOT)php?f=44&t=3383--This is my forum. Please come and chat.

Reviews are awesome. You guys are awesome. I am so thrilled at how many I'm getting. Please, Keep it up!


	7. Epiphany

Disclaimer: I do not own anything except for Lucy.

A/N: I'm sorry, this took kind of forever. The chapter was technically a week ago but Sobriquet and I agreed it would be a good idea to add some more. So you get a longer chapter than my norm.

* * *

I walked in the house and looked around. Since Bella arrived, whenever I came home from work she would always be waiting for me in the living room. Sometimes she would have a book or would be watching TV, but either way she would always be sitting on the couch and waiting for me. It was becoming a sort of routine and her lack of presence sent a shot of panic through my body.

This time around, the living room was empty. Unsure, I crept over to her bedroom where I heard her voice.

"I know!"

I frowned. She sounded frustrated. Who in the world could she be speaking to?

"This isn't—it's too soon!"

Was this one of the many "wrong numbers" Leah was telling me about?

"No! I—No…of course not! I would never-!"

Wrong number my ass…

"Okay! Okay! I understand…"

"Bella?" She suddenly went silent and I nudged her door open. "Who were you talking to?" I asked and leaned against her doorframe.

She took a deep breath and swallowed. Then, as soon as the seemingly nervous reaction came it was replaced by a bright smile. "It was no one."

I raised an eyebrow at her.

Bella laughed and shook her head. "It's stupid."

I pushed myself off the doorframe. "Try me."

"Well, I've been getting all these wrong numbers-" So we're sticking with that. "-and sometimes I find myself getting into conversations with the people on the other lines." She blushed and part of me wondered if she could do so on cue while another part of me melted at the sight. "You know, it gets kind of lonely here…Sometimes it's nice to have someone to talk to."

It was logical. It explained all the calls and why she didn't allow me to change her number. I felt a twinge of remorse. "Well, instead of getting into arguments with strangers, if you'd like you can text or call me during the day. I won't always be able to reply right away, but I'll try to during my breaks."

She grinned at me.

_There is something very very wrong here. _

No. I had to stop this. I either needed to trust her or…what?

_Demand the truth? Kick her out?_

I looked at her grinning face and those liquid brown eyes which shined up at me.

No, not an option.

* * *

"So now she's living in your house."

"Yep."

"In your…" He raised an eyebrow. He was going to say 'room'. I cut him off.

"In one of my many rooms. I live in a very large house."

"Thank you. I know."

We sat staring at each other until I felt a large furry head nudging at my hand. I smiled at the big brown eyes of the pup before me and scratched behind her ears. I'd come to Emmett's garage during my lunch break to ask for a favor. What I ended up with was an interrogation.

"Hey, Lucy, could you not distract the man?" Emmett said, pointing to the furry intruder that was currently doing her best to end our conversation.

I laughed and leaned down to ruffle her fur and kiss her soft head. I felt her cool nose against mine as she sniffed my face before licking my cheek. I smiled at her.

Emmett's dog Lucy was probably the closest thing to true love that I'd ever gotten. If she wasn't so attached to Emmett, I probably would have stolen her a long time ago. She was a 70 pound Australian shepherd mix, or at least that was our current theory. Whatever the mix, she was a beautiful dog.

"Edward…Can we talk about the real woman now?"

I faked a shocked look and covered Lucy's ears.

"Edward…"

"Look, there isn't much to tell. She was hurt, I brought her home, and that's where she's been staying." I shrugged.

We continued to stare at each other. "Are you……?"

I cringed. We were back to that again. "Emmett…"

"Well?"

"No!"

He nodded. "Is she hot?"

"Why does it always have to come back to this?" I asked, completely ready to turn back to Lucy who was nudging at my hand again.

"Dude, just answer the question."

I nodded. "She's beyond words…"

Emmett smiled largely. "So you figure if you get her a car you'll get laid?"

I grabbed my cup and threw it at him. Lucy excitedly ran after the cup, tail wagging, grabbing it before Emmett could get it from her. Apparently Emmett decided against a game of tug-o-war with her (as big as Emmett was, barely anyone could take on Lucy unless she wanted you to), and allowed her to lie down on the floor to chew at it.

"You owe me a new cup man" he said and looked back at me. I glared at him. "What? You obviously want her!"

"That's not the—"

"Sure it is! You need a plan!"

"I don't need a plan!" I yelled back at my best friend, wondering how I could possibly get it through his thick head.

"Dude, how long has it been? And even then, you lost the last chick to another chick. You need a plan."

I opened my mouth to try and shut him up again when I heard the door at the front of the garage slam. There were plenty of cars being worked on, we were currently in Emmett's office, and I could still feel the negative energy coming towards us.

The garage was huge. I made sure of it. Technically, I co-owned it with Emmett. I helped him open it and offered my name, and even gave some of the accident victims at the hospital discounts. Now Emmett's garage was probably the best and most trusted place to get your car fixed in Chicago.

_Lucy's Garage_ he called it, and Lucy's face was on every business card. Since she came with him to work every day he usually introduced her to the more light hearted customers. She was very well trained and usually preferred to spend most of her time either at Emmett's side or in his office.

Lucy lifted her head and I heard a faint growl from her. Emmett gave her a sharp look and she quickly put her front paws on his lap.

"Emmett!"

I cringed. Rosalie Hale stormed into his office causing Lucy to growl again. I wanted to growl along with her. If there was one person I did not want to see right now, it was Rosalie. Especially around Emmett. That man couldn't keep his mouth shut for anything. What was she doing here anyway?

The blonde walked right up to my chair and looked at me expectantly. _Hi to you too Rose._ I got up and walked to the wall where Lucy quickly joined me after Rose nudged her away by propping her feet on Emmett's lap.

Lucy was not a growler or a barker. She was the most well behaved dog one could meet…except for when it came to Rosalie. Sometimes I think Lucy had it in her head that Emmett was her mate and saw Rosalie as a threat. There were many interesting stories in that little triangle.

I knelt down and she instantly flopped down on her back, presenting her belly for scratching.

"Eddie over here just stopped by for a new car."

_Shit. _My attention was brought back to Emmett who was now massaging Rosalie's feet and telling her my life story. I tend to daze out when Rosalie is angry. I love the girl like my own sister but I really don't know how Emmett could be around that so much. _And since when were they back together again?_

"Another car?"

I tried to give Emmett a look that said to shut the hell up but he ignored me.

"Yea, apparently he has a house guest who needs it." He lifted one eyebrow and then the other.

And then there was silence. I could kill him.

Rosalie slowly shifted her gaze over to me.

"Hi. How's it goin?" I said, since I didn't even get a greeting before she hijacked my chair. I stood up and Lucy sat down in front of me.

"A house guest?" She glared at me. I don't know if I deserved the glare, but that was Rosalie. She was a 'worst case scenario' type of person. "What type of house guest?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but was cut off. "Aw, come on Rose. Don't go all third degree on the boy. He hasn't had a good lay since the Stone Age."

_Thank you Emmett._ That was my cue to leave. If need be, the car could wait.

"OK, so I guess I'll see you guys Saturday." I scratched Lucy one last time before making my way towards the door.

"What's Saturday?"

I stopped at the door and turned. "What do you mean?" They both looked confused. "The barbeque…"

I looked at Rosalie hoping she had an idea of what I was talking about. Rosalie and Emmett were always invited whether they were together at the time or not, both having been practically adopted into the family as well.

"Isn't until next month." There was a hint of a smile on her face.

Great. Just great.

Emmett suddenly cracked up and I knew he caught on. "Fuckin' lesbian"

I cringed. Normally I would comment granted, usually he was more vulgar. Emmett was the type of guy that could make a carpet joke right in front of a lesbian or make a watermelon joke in front of an African American man and instead of getting a good beat down would only make the other party laugh.

"And fairies" I mumbled under my breath, not even caring that he would take it differently than I meant it. Alice. She must have told Tanya and her sisters about Bella. Saturday was probably a way for them to meet her. They had a habit of playing jokes on me to get what they wanted since they knew I would never bring a girl around unless I had to.

"Well, I guess my Saturday's free again." I sighed and made my way to the door.

"Oh, Edward?" Rosalie watched me with a smug expression. I knew she wouldn't allow this to pass. "Why don't you call me when you get home tonight? We haven't spoken in a while. I'm sure we have so much to catch up on."

She grinned at me.

I nodded and then finally escaped from the garage.

* * *

The only thing that made me return home instead of finding a million things to do other than calling Rosalie was Bella.

When I entered the living room she was sitting in her usual spot, reading a book. We smiled at each other and I decided to get the call over with so I would have the rest of the night to relax. I told her I had to make a call and went straight for my room.

//Alright Edward, what's the story with this girl?//

No greeting, just straight to the point. Very Rosalie.

"It's exactly as I told Emmett and Alice, who I'm sure both filled you in." As if either could keep their mouth shut.

//Edward, this is ridiculous! How can you be so incredibly stupid?//

"I don't know, you tell me."

//You took this girl into your _home!_ Allowing her to --//

"What did you expect me to do? She has no one!"

//That is none of your concern! And how do you even know what she's saying is the truth?//

_How indeed…_ There were plenty of things I doubted, but I wasn't about to talk to Rosalie about them.

"How do I know she's lying? Look, she needed my help, I'm giving it to her! It would be cruel not to!"

//Helping would have been taking her to the hospital, calling the cops, and making sure she got the help she needed. What you're doing is just plain naïve!//

I remained silent.

//Look, Alice told me her story. If it's true, I feel for her, you know I do…But something is very wrong with this whole situation.//

I sighed. Her volume went down considerably and I knew she was trying to use reason instead. If what Bella said was true, Rosalie of all people _would_ understand.

"Rose, I thank you for trying to protect me. Really, I appreciate it, but come on. She just happens to stumble into me at the right time…"

//Yes, what a charming coincidence.//

She was getting sarcastic now and I knew she wasn't going to let this go.

"What do you think is going to happen? How could she possibly gain from this?"

_Well, that was stupid. _

//You can't be serious.//

"Rose…"

//Does she have a job Edward? Are you planning on asking her to get one? Does she have money? I'm sure she doesn't. Free car, free place to live…I wonder, what else are you giving her? Or is she giving you?//

"This conversation is over" I growled.

//Edward! Don't hang up! Just…Look, just think about this, okay? You've always been smart, we all know your father raised you to use your brain. Use it. Trust your instincts on this alright?//

She thought she was helping me. She thought after this I would meditate over what she had said and kick Bella out.

Instead, she helped me come to a very important conclusion. One that was the opposite of what she wanted.

* * *

Things were probably going to get more complicated now that Rosalie knew. Granted, the fact that my cousins were already conspiring against me should have told me enough.

I didn't have a lot of time…

_For what?_

Hell if I knew.

Why did I even have that much of a problem with Bella meeting my family? Since I got the call from Tanya I'd been a nervous wreck. I had so many doubts about Bella. I wanted to believe what she told me so badly but something kept stopping me.

_Like logic. _

No, nothing she said made sense. There were plenty of holes in her story. As hard as she was to believe, I could never kick her out. And I knew for a fact that I could never hear my doubts from someone else. Especially not from Rosalie.

I sighed as I walked into an empty house.

Wait. Empty?

Again? It was Friday, only a few days since the last scare, but this time around I panicked.

I bolted over to her empty room and sighed in relief when I saw that there were clothes strewn across her bed with her cell phone sitting on top. Confused, I ran up the stairs, curious as to where she could be. Not in the library, not in the music room…I narrowed my eyes towards my parent's room before shaking my head.

I turned back around and walked into my bedroom. I was shocked to hear the shower running in my bathroom.

She wouldn't…Not when she had her own shower. There was no point.

Hesitantly I lifted my hand and knocked on the door. "Bella?"

I heard the water turn off and then a bang.

"Bella? Is everything alright in there?" I yelled, afraid she may have hurt herself. During the time that she had lived here I'd found that Bella was incredibly clumsy.

"I'm fine!" she yelled through the door. I stepped away from the door as she opened it a crack. I sucked in a gush of air at the sight of a very pale, very wet, and very bare shoulder. "I'm sorry I'll explain I promise, but can you grab me a towel?"

I raised an eyebrow, almost positive that there was one in there earlier. "There's none in the cabinet?"

Without looking she shook her head. "I guess you forgot to refill it since Leah's been gone."

I nodded my head, all questions flying out of my head. Towels didn't seem as important as I saw a few strands of hair had come to rest on her shoulder when she shook her head. Droplets slowly made their way down her milky skin and for a moment I imagined what it would be like if there wasn't a door between us.

The tightening in my pants brought me back to myself and without a second glance I dashed into the hall to get her a towel. When I came back she was still waiting and I noticed a blush was marring her perfect skin. Her bruising was also healing nicely to the point that I could see that beautiful blush more clearly.

_The question now is: how much skin does it cover?_

I scolded myself for thinking that way. Definitely too soon and definitely too presumptuous.

I smiled at her but my smile quickly melted away at the frown that had begun to mar her face. _Shit, how long had she been frowning? God, she probably thought I was a complete pervert!_ I handed her the towels. She quickly grabbed them and mumbled a "thank you" before disappearing behind the door again.

"I…I'll just be downstairs," I stuttered and quickly turned to the door. I was so caught up in my embarrassment that I apparently missed her walking out of the bathroom again and grabbing my arm. I whipped around, so quickly that I must have startled her, because she tripped over her own feet and fell into me.

To this day I can't tell you how it happened.

One minute I was holding her upright, the next her hand was threaded through my hair, my hands wrapped tightly around her waist, and our lips were pressed roughly against each other. Oh God she tasted amazing. I started to rub my hands up and down her back, cursing the thick material of my towel that was blocking her skin from me.

With just this one kiss I understood the intoxication that was Isabel Dwyer – all-consuming to the point where I could barely control my limbs and my head was swimming in a sea of pleasure and _all_ we did was kiss!

My senses were filled with strawberries and flowers. I felt the soft material of her towel give way to her soft, creamy, luscious…

"Stop!" I all but yelled while grabbing her towel and pulling it tightly around her once again. She looked at me with wide eyes and I stumbled for something to say.

"Bella, you don't have to do this," I blurted out because in the back of my mind the worry that this, all of this, was her way of thanking me, that she thought I expected it from her. This was a conversation we'd never had. I felt like such an idiot. Of course! She probably thought I was some pervert who was going to kick her out of my house if she didn't make a move. Why else would she be showering in my bathroom?

Slowly she blinked and took her towel out of my hands and arranged it comfortably against her body. She turned red in what I assumed to be embarrassment. _Fix this Edward!_

"Bella?" was all I could say. If she continued to remain silent like this I was going to burst.

"You think I was…trying to…?" she said in a quiet voice as she turned crimson.

I was wrong. She wasn't trying to seduce me. Maybe she genuinely got as lost in the moment as I did.

_But then why was she in the shower?_ I shook the thoughts away. This was becoming my problem when it came to Bella. I continuously got lost in my thoughts and in my doubts, causing me to completely misunderstand her intentions. What could I do? I was once so good at reading people but my instincts and my brain were completely at ends with her.

My brain told me not to trust everything she told me, that there were too many holes in this situation. The parking lot, her story about the hotel, her reasoning for being upstairs the first day with Leah, and now this? But my instincts and my heart…I knew. I just _knew_ that in all the years of advice from my parents, everything my mother said, it was right. _This_ was right.

_You'll know, Edward_, she would tell me. _You will _know.

Is that what one would call an epiphany? An epiphany with a dripping wet woman standing embarrassed before me. An epiphany that I may have been better off not having at all? I don't know. But whatever it was, this was the moment that things began to change.

"Bella…I'm sorry. I…I like you. But I don't want you to feel like I'm expecting something from you." The moment I said "I like you" her eyes went from the floor right back to mine. "I think you're great and absolutely beautiful. I would love to get to know you better…And I don't want any type of…obligation you might feel towards me to get in the way."

She was going to be angry with me. How could she not? I just admitted that I thought she had been trying to have sex with me as payment for a room in my house. She was going to leave. I wouldn't blame her if she did.

At this moment my epiphany was only reinforced. Because she didn't respond angrily and didn't hit me. She smiled. No, she _beamed_ at me.

"I like you too, Edward. And thank you."

She went up on her toes to lightly kiss me on the side of my mouth. I closed my eyes and savored the feeling of her lips on my skin, remembering our embrace from just moments before. When she pulled away, I opened my eyes again and smiled at her.

"Now, I'm going to go get dressed." Her eyes met mine one more time before she turned and began walking out the door.

"Bella!" I called without thinking. She stopped and turned back towards me waiting for me to continue. "Saturday…Let's do something."

Her eyes brightened and she nodded. "Sure."

I put my hands in my pocket and grinned to myself as I watched her make her way down the stairs.

Things were going to get complicated from here on, I could feel it. I could see it as I stopped averting my eyes away from her towel-clad body. As my eyes became caught in her hips dancing back and forth before me, and those legs…She was perfect. Even in the large towel, perfect.

Any thoughts of why and how were pushed to the back of my head. I was lost.

* * *

ATTENTION!: OK, I said "next Saturday" last chapter when talking about the barbeque. This right here is about a week and half after the beginning. So I'm adding a bit of time. Sorry.

If I have any mistakes, that's my bad. I didn't really get the cool new way Sobriquet betaed this but I definitely have it for next time.

Tanya: Ali Larter, (young) Drew Barrymore, Rachel McAdams (mine)

Kate: Kristen Bell 2, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Evan Rachel Wood (mine)

Irina: Mena Suvari, (natural brunette) Nikki Reed, Rose McGowan, Emilie de Ravin (mine)

I thought they were all blondes with Tanya as a strawberry blonde. Was Irina a brunette?

**Maria** (I always start singing West Side Story) Jasper's little sire, she's one of my favorite characters, don't ask me why. But yea, who would play her?

Oh, I confused my British beta with my, I guess American terms when talking about Emmett and "carpets", "watermelons", and then the "fairy" comment. If you have a question…I guess I'll answer it. Or ask on the forum,

http://www(DOT)twilighted(DOT)net/forum/viewtopic(DOT)php?f=44&t=3383

You can find pictures of Lucy there too!

I thank you all for the reviews. I'm so excited by all of them! Please, keep it up!


	8. Garden Confessions

Disclaimer: I own Lucy and that's about it.

A/N: And I've had my history class, but that's finally done.

I went on vacation and was proposed to. Yes, I am engaged. Needless to say, that was another big distraction. Then my long time pen pal visiting me for a week and I finally got to meet her for the first time. And then, to finish my summer off, my Grandpa died.

…I've been distracted…

WARNING! I don't live in Chicago, never been there, so I'm going off of a website.

* * *

_The sound of delicate fingers pressed against ivory keys echo throughout the otherwise empty house. The music is beautiful, if maybe a little empty. _

_Climbing up the long staircase, he runs his hands along the white wall._

_Empty. Bright. It's so bright. _

Follow the brightness. Follow the music_. _

_And so he does. _

_The door is of the same variety as the rest of the house. White and smooth. The door is opening. Bright, bright light. He has to cover his eyes. _

"_Mother?"_

_He walks into the room and sees her playing. Large open windows surround her, ivory drapes flowing around the room and it's all incredibly appropriate. She is like an angel. A small half smile adorning her face, her pale skin almost blends into the white of the dress she wears, her dark hair loose and flowing down her back. _

"_Come here Edward." She looks up at him and her green eyes sparkle as she smiles. "Sit with me, my darling."_

_He runs to her side. The child is amazed by his mother's fingers which flow across the keys, her eyes still smiling at him. _

"_Did you need anything, Edward?"_

_Did he? Oh, yes. "When are we picking Dad up at the airport?"_

_The music stops and her smile fades. "Not today, Edward. Your father needed to stay for another few days."_

_He frowns. "Again?"_

"_Yes, sweetheart, again. Your father seems to believe that being away from me will somehow make it better."_

_The child frowns, unsure of what this means. _

_His mother only laughs. "Don't worry Edward. Your father will always return to me." She holds his cheeks in the palm of her hands and kisses his nose. "I have you. And you are the key that will always bring him back."_

_He smiles. _

* * *

It was the first time I'd dreamt about my mother in years. I tried before. Just to see a glimpse of the woman who had birthed me. Something good, something pure. And then this is what I got? My parents loved each other, and there was never a question of if my father would return home.

_Are you so sure about that? _I took a long gulp of my coffee and shook the thoughts away. This was definitely the last thing I needed at the moment.

"Edward?"

Bella stood in the kitchen doorway and in that moment I cursed and praised Alice's taste in clothes. Bella was wearing a deep blue nightgown that barely hit mid thigh. Visions of the night before danced through my head, and I gave silent thanks that I was standing behind the counter, out of her view.

I blinked and looked over at the clock. It was five in the morning. What in the world was she doing awake?

"It's early," I said and walked over to the coffee machine to pour her a cup.

She smiled at me before sitting at the counter. "I could say the same thing to you."

I shrugged. "I had a very strange dream."

She nodded and took a sip of her drink. I narrowed my eyes and watched her closely. No questions, no nothing. I wondered briefly if this was her way of saying she would give no reason either. Well then, I wouldn't ask.

I remained silent, finding that the black of my coffee held my attention away from any more frustrating conversation with the woman sitting across from me.

"If someone brought my coffee to me every morning before I dressed, I would be very happy. It would change the day!" I raised an eyebrow at her and she giggled. "I'm sorry, my mother used to say that all time…"

I was surprised that the sultry voice she had used was to quote her mother. I couldn't help but wonder what type of a woman her mother was. "Where is she now?"

Her eyes grew cold, and I instantly regretted the question. "She's dead."

The answer was short and to the point. For a moment a surge of anger ran through me. Dead mom. As if I couldn't understand that. She probably knew my story; hell, the whole world did. I didn't get any secrets, but she still got to keep all of hers.

I shook the thought away. I didn't say that I was sorry for her mother's death because, quite frankly, it was the last thing _I_ ever wanted to hear. I just nodded.

"I'm sorry." There was a light pressure on my hand and I looked down to see her pale fingers resting on top of mine. "For being so short with you…"

I tried to listen to what she was saying, I did. Instead, I couldn't take my eyes off her hand.

"I know that if there's anyone who could understand-" It raised up from my hand and gently touched her own cheek. "-it would be you." She slid the hand down her neck and further towards the gentle curve of her breasts. "But I just…I'd rather not talk about certain things…"

She nervously toyed with the neckline of her nightie before sliding it down to touch the table and play with the handle of her cup.

"You understand. Don't you?"

Her innocent question brought me up to her eyes, which shined back at me, searching for understanding.

I opened my mouth to talk but my breath caught in my throat. I took a deep breath and swallowed back my own horror at completely missing a serious conversation because I was ogling her breasts.

"Of course," I forced out. I gave what I hoped was a reassuring smile and took a long gulp of my coffee.

"Oh, Edward." I loved hearing her say my name. "I can only wonder how any woman can ever say no to you."

I laughed. "It's easier than you think. Where did that come from?"

"Nothing, it's just…your smile." She grinned at me and I thought that perhaps the wrong person was asking that question. I'd do anything to see her smile. "It's sweet and…crooked."

I couldn't help the smirk that graced my lips. Bella's face contorted in mock suspicion as she pointed. "There it is!"

"Crooked, huh?" I wasn't sure how I liked the sound of that, but I took it anyway. Visions of my father danced in my head. "I think they called my father's lopsided."

She laughed and brought her hands quickly together. "Lopsided! I like that!" She seemed to think on it. Her innocence in that moment, that one moment of playfulness, took my breath away. "Nah, yours is crooked."

She winked at me.

It might have seemed insignificant, but to me it was everything. It was a moment of complete comfort. We could sit and joke and just be. In that second I knew that my decision from the night before was right. I would do anything for these moments.

We sat together like that, making small talk and just enjoying each other's company. A plan for the day was even set in place, our date becoming a full day rather than just a night.

We'd cooked breakfast and continued our conversation long after we finished. I was telling her a story about Emmett and his plumbing when the thought hit me.

"I never got to ask…" I hesitated for a moment, wondering if the question would break the comfortable atmosphere of the morning. "Why _were_ you using my shower?"

It ruined the moment, only not exactly in the way I expected it to.

She winked, _winked_, at me before slipping off the stool and grabbing her plate. "I'll tell you sometime." I sat still for a second, unsure of what just happened. "Speaking of the shower," I heard her yell from the sink, "I think I should probably start getting ready for our big day."

* * *

//Does she even have a job yet? No, of course she doesn't. Is she even _pretending_ to look?//

I rolled my eyes and pressed the phone back to my ear. I'd forgotten how loud Leah could be.

She called me at 10. I had a feeling she was looking for an excuse to get away from her family for a bit.

"She's still settling in, Le-"

//Settlling in? It's been almost 2 weeks!//

I rolled my eyes. "Not everyone can jump right back on their feet in that amount of time. Look, it's really not a problem. It's not like I can't…"

//Ugh, Edward! Whether you can afford her or not isn't the point! It's the principle of the matter. If that girl had a shred of digni-//

"Now stop right there. You haven't been here, you know nothing about her, and you don't want to-"

//I'm not the only one.//

I huffed, grabbing my nose between my thumb and forefinger. It really wasn't worth the fight. Leah didn't like who she didn't like for her own reasons and she wasn't the type to budge, whether the other person deserved it or not.

"How's the baby?"

I heard her sigh, probably coming to the same conclusion I just had. //Jacob is a good boy, as far as babies go. Got quite the set of pipes on him but for some reason he doesn't cry when I hold him.//

_Probably too scared to_, I thought with a smile on my face. "How's your mom doing?"

//She was really happy to see me but she's been busy, with all the baby stuff and all. Mrs. Black has been pretty weak throughout the pregnancy apparently, and she's not faring too well now either. To be honest I've either been with the baby or my mom's boyfriend.//

"Really? I thought we didn't like him." It was the first time I'd heard of her giving someone the time of day after already judging them. Well, except for me.

//Charlie's a good man. He's the town chief of police actually, and he was also a really good friend of my dad's. He's had a hard time in his life…And I guess especially when I left he and my mom had a lot in common. He's good to my brother and he's never looked down on me for leaving, so he's OK in my book.//

For a moment I wondered what had happened to this man Charlie that would make him have so much in common with Leah's mother. Harry Clearwater had passed on years back and Leah had moved out not too long after…I wondered if this Charlie had lost a spouse and child in a similar matter.

_Damn Edward, you're as bad as a woman._ I was too curious about people sometimes.

She continued on to talk about her brother Seth and Jacob. To my surprise it seemed that Leah liked children since she only spoke of Jacob, or "Jake" as she began to call him, with affection. I smiled for my friend. Maybe this trip would be good for her.

* * *

We ended up at the Chicago Botanic Garden. It was a truly beautiful sight, one that Bella had never seen before.

"Where I'm from we didn't exactly have gardens…"

"No gardens? In California?"

"Oh...Well…I didn't always live in California…Anyway, if there are I didn't know about them. My mother always dragged me around depending on her whims. Agriculture wasn't one of them."

She would comment on different flowers or excitedly insist I take a picture. She'd tell me what angle was the best and how close I needed to get. I wondered if she'd ever had any interest in photography and asked.

"Oh no, I never did college and before that in High School I just did the required stuff. If anything, I concentrated on English, but you know that. "

I started to ask her why she never went to college but stopped myself. This was starting to get annoying. Every time I started to ask her something I'd stop myself in fear that she'd shut down again.

_That's not fair. You don't tell her anything about yourself either._

It's true, I kept things to myself. I figured if she didn't open up then I wouldn't. And that was probably where the problem was. One of us needed to, and it may as well be me.

I took a deep breath, and started talking. "I honestly haven't been here in a long time. Not since my mother…"

"Edward." I looked at her and saw she had moved closer and grabbed my hand. The air changed around us and for a moment I regretted my timing. "You don't have to do this."

She knew. There was comprehension in her eyes and I just knew that she knew which was always a possibility but I'd wished that she didn't. Why was I fooling myself anyway? It was in every newspaper and magazine for years; she would have needed to live under a rock to not know.

Still…I opened my mouth to continue and was amazed that she cut me off.

"I don't know why…I…my mother isn't really dead. I lied to you. I honestly don't know where she is."

There were no tears, only an underlying sadness to a story many times told. I understood the feeling.

"You were abandoned too." It was a statement, not a question.

"So…she really did…?"

I nodded. "My mom wasn't an idiot. She knew exactly what she was doing. No amount of depression or whatever they insisted would mean she didn't know what she was doing taking that much medication."

We passed a group of people and quieted down. It hit me that we should probably continue looking at the sights, maybe leave for dinner soon. There was one part of the conversation that I'd rather not mention, and I hoped she wouldn't.

"Your parents must have had a strange relationship."

I stopped for a second and looked at her, sure my eyebrows must be at my hairline. "That's the first time I've ever heard that one."

She started fiddling with her hands and looked like she was ready to drop whatever she was saying. I hoped she wouldn't. Bella must have gotten the idea that I wouldn't get angry because she continued. "It's just…to give up like that. To somehow come to the conclusion that life isn't worth living without this one person. To come to the conclusion that your family, friends, and child…I guess that's why they say that suicide is selfish. "

Once upon a time, this conversation would have made me mind-numbingly angry. I hated my mother for what she did. We were supposed to heal together, and she just gave up.

"I just always hear how much they loved each other to the point that she couldn't live without him."

We had stopped now, and I looked at the flowers around us. Oleanders. How appropriate. Beautiful on the outside but in the end poisonous. They reminded me of my mother.

"You don't believe that?" she asked.

I gulped, unsure about my answer. Instead, I just told her the truth. _Your father seems to believe that being away from me will somehow make it better._ "I used to." _I have you. And you are the key that will always bring him back. "_Now I'm not so sure."

I went to shove my hands in my pockets when I felt her slim fingers lace themselves through mine. I looked down and she smiled softly back at me.

It was soft and it was chaste, but the feel of her lips on mine set me aflame once again. I used my free hand to pull her closer. When our lips drew apart she tucked her head under my chin and sighed.

I hoped that I had just opened a door for her. That maybe she'd feel more inclined to tell me about her life after this. That maybe the secrets for both of us would end now.

At least I knew they would for me.

* * *

A/N: I may have started writing a new fanfic but I refuse to post anything until it's at least almost done…that's also distracting me. Cause I suck…at least I gave you a hint.

Possible Maria's: Salma Hayek, Penelope Cruz, Eva Mendez, Kristin Herrera, Catherine Zeta Jones, Sofia Vergara, Nadine Velasquez, Roselyn Sanchez. My vote goes for Eva Mendez

I though Maria was supposed to be younger looking?

Alright, how about Carmen and Eleazer?

Say hi on my forum please;

http://www(DOT)twilighted(DOT)net/forum/viewtopic(DOT)php?f=44&t=3383

Thank you so much for all my reviews! And I'm so sorry for the long wait. Let's hope I don't have anymore crappy moments.


	9. Victoria

A/N: **If you aren't reading Blind Faith by Sobriquett than I want nothing to do with you.** Her writing is better than mine, she updates more, and she has the best beta EVER! (…ahem…me). She also pesters me about Venenum and betas it. This story probably would have stopped by now if I didn't have her. So yea…Go do that.

Disclaimer: Everyone belongs to Stephenie Meyer except for Lucy. Oh, and Sobriquett picked out Maria's last name but that doesn't exactly belong to either of us…

* * *

It was a stupid move. Sure, in the end it would prove to be helpful. At least it would have been helpful if I'd been willing to see. For now, it would be one stupid mistake among the much greater ones I had and would make.

_A Bella Italia_ was a restaurant that Emmett, Rosalie, and I frequented often before they "broke up". It had been such a long time since we all went together. Who would have thought that they would decide to go on a date there on the same night I took Bella?

"When I first started working here, there was this deli I went to everyday."

And of course they would notice us, how could they not? And it would be very unlike Emmett _not_ to gleefully seek us out the moment he saw us. This made sense, because we were friends, and that's what friends did. I wasn't really mad at Emmett…Just at my own stupidity.

"So this one day I'm there, and I see this dog just walk in."

Because if Emmett was around, the conversation was sure to be about, well, Emmett. Not about Bella, where I would have preferred it. In a private booth, in a secluded corner, where she and I could talk. Really talk. But no, that definitely wasn't going to happen anymore.

"Apparently, she was a local stray that the deli owner liked to feed, or some crap like that."

"Why didn't he just take her home?" Bella interrupted Emmett's story about Lucy. She looked content, and I was glad that she didn't seem to notice the looks Rosalie was shooting at her. This was the good thing about Emmett; he was a natural icebreaker, and he kept the conversation light.

"Psh, I don't know." He frowned a little and waved his hand dismissively at the idea. Emmett didn't like the idea that his beloved Lucy could have ever belonged to someone else. "So I start to feed her some of my sandwich, and the next thing I know I've given her like, half of it."

"Spoiled from the day she met you," I laughed and dodged the crumpled up napkin that was thrown at my head. I'd heard this story plenty of times and knew where my comments were due. In truth, my attention was more so on the brunette sitting next to me and the debate of whether I should put my arm around her shoulders or not.

"As I was saying-" Emmett glared at Bella and me for our interruptions. She giggled at my side which brought the smile back to Emmett's face and I was glad that the two of them seemed to be getting along so well. "- I get up to leave, give her a pat on the head, and make my way back to the car. I'm driving for like three blocks before I look in the rear view mirror and who do I see? The same dog had followed me the whole way. So, I pulled over, opened the door, and she hopped in. And that is the story of Lucy."

Emmett stopped but I knew that wasn't the end of the story. I sat and waited while he looked expectantly at Bella. She began to shift uncomfortably, unsure of what else there was to say. I rolled my eyes and raised an eyebrow at Emmett encouraging him not to let this go on any longer.

I think she shifted closer to me. My arm began to inch over. God, what was I, in Junior High? I wasn't really about to try the whole yawning trick was I?

"You wanna see some pictures?" he asked, already reaching for his wallet.

Bella full out laughed at that and I couldn't tear my eyes away from the way hers sparkled in her laughter. "You sound like a proud parent!"

Rosalie humphed at that. "More like a proud boyfriend."

If I rolled my eyes anymore tonight they would end up permanently at the back of my head. "You can't possibly still be on that."

The look she gave me proved it. If there was one thing Emmett and Rosalie fought over more than anything, it was Lucy. _Only Rose could seriously be jealous of a dog._

Bella looked confused so I leaned close to her ear and whispered, "I'll tell you later". She shivered a little and nodded. I wasn't sure why at the time; only later finding out that it was in fact my breath in her ear that had made her shiver. At the moment though, I thought she was cold and so I got my wish and draped my arm around her shoulders for warmth. She gave me a shy smile before snuggling closer into my side.

There was an awkward silence. Between Rosalie's glaring and Emmett's beaming at Bella and me, I thought that the ice was officially solid.

Thankfully, Bella came to the rescue, "So, how did you come up with the name Lucy?"

"That was me, actually," I began, ignoring Emmett's glare at my stealing his story. "Emmett wanted to name her Xena, you know, 'The Warrior Princess'" Her laugh signaled that she knew exactly what I was talking about. "But I told him that she was much too soft for that. So I suggested maybe naming her Lucy instead, after Lucy Lawless. You know the actress that plays Xena in the show."

"She's still my 'warrior princess'," Emmett murmured quietly before taking a long drink from his cup. "SO! Bella, have you ever had any pets?"

_Thank you Emmett_, I thought to myself, glad that I was going to get a little more information on this beautiful woman sitting beside me. What surprised me was how calm she seemed, instead of the nervousness I encountered whenever I asked her a question.

_Granted, it is just a question about pets. Not exactly seeing into her soul or anything._

"My mother…she wasn't really the best when it came to the pet thing. She would see a puppy in a store window; go on about how she _had _to have it before completely forgetting about it like, a day later."

I was shocked at how nonchalantly she spoke about the woman. I was shocked that she even brought her up.

"Rosalie! Amado! There you are!"

I didn't have much time to think about Bella, her mother, or any pets they may have had. Because at that point it dawned on me that there were, in fact, two empty seats at our table.

I knew that voice anywhere. For reasons I didn't even know, it made me cringe every time I heard it. Trying to suppress a grown of frustration, I pulled Bella a little closer to my side.

Walking up to us was Maria Herrara and her ever present 'body guard' Jasper Whitlock.

Great.

* * *

When we were eighteen, and it was clear that Rosalie and I were never going to fall madly in love and the Hales wouldn't be able to marry off their daughter as soon as possible, so Royce King was brought into the picture. In their eyes, he was the next best choice.

I hated him. Anyone who knew him did. I knew he was wrong for her. Rose probably did too. But she was so hell-bent on making her parent's happy, of being that trophy wife, of _having children _that she ignored any warnings. I was too distracted, too broken up still from my parent's death that I wasn't there to truly get her out of the situation. Rose was alone

Then she ended up in the hospital. Her parents were happy to sweep it under the rug. No one ever told me what had occurred, no one ever talked about it period, but it wasn't hard to figure out. It was then that things changed…

It was not too long after that Maria showed.

To this day, I don't know what the specifics were. All I knew was that Royce King and his circle of close friends had disappeared.

They were found a week later. Dead.

It didn't take me too long to figure out what had happened. Maria Herrara. She was powerful in the all the wrong ways. But who was I to really judge? I saw Rosalie, I saw what she dealt with, and God help me I knew those men deserved whatever they had coming to them.

…I just wish that had been the last of Maria.

* * *

There was no doubt that Maria was a beautiful woman. She was probably in her later thirties but could pass for ten years younger. A perfect pear shaped woman with shiny black hair and an accent that demanded attention, most men would probably kill to get a piece of her. Well, if they thought they could handle her. There was something very dangerous about the woman.

Jasper Whitlock wasn't much different. He was tall, probably taller than Emmett, and although he looked thin, I knew that underneath those jackets he wore he was definitely a force to reckon with. He also had small scars on his neck, and if you looked for them he had some on his hands as well.

A dangerous duo, they never ceased to make me incredibly uncomfortable.

Maria and Jasper said their hellos before leaving to get a drink or powder up or whatever they needed to do. Jasper never left her side…it was weird.

"You know, that Jasper guy, I hear he was a Navy SEAL before hooking up with Maria," Emmett was whispering, not so quietly to Bella. "That shit's like hardcore. They say that they can die just through the training."

"I thought he was a Marine," I said, not ready to have this conversation with him again. I bent my lips to Bella's ear and whispered in the same tone as Emmett. "Last time we spoke he was a CIA agent and had started the Vietnam War. That story was thankfully abandoned the first time he met Jasper and saw his age."

He frowned at me but kept his mouth shut as the duo returned to the table.

"Edward, you must tell me, who is this beautiful woman woman sitting next to you?" Maria automatically jumped into conversation, the moment she sat.

"Maria, this is Isabel Dwyer. Isabel, this is Maria." I don't know why I felt the need to use Bella's full name. Bella was a name used by friends. Maria was not a friend.

"Isabel? Do you have Spanish in you, little one?"

'Little one?' I flinched at the endearment.

Bella shook her head.

"She likes to be called Bella," Rosalie's voice chimed in and she smiled at Maria. I didn't like it at all. It was like there was a secret meaning behind it. She probably knew I didn't want her to know it. Bitch.

"Bella!" Maria clapped her hands excitedly, a grin on her face. "Such a beautiful girl; your name suits you."

The woman in question smiled shyly before reaching for my hand under the table and holding it tightly. I squeezed it in what I hoped was reassurance.

Rosalie and Maria made small talk, Emmett and I speaking occasionally, while Jasper and Bella remained silent. With Jasper it was nothing new, but Bella just seemed uncomfortable. Maybe she got the same vibe I did?

I started to really watch the table and I narrowed my eyes. Not only was Jasper being his usual quiet, he was also staring at Bella in an almost…knowing fashion? Did he know her? Did he think he knew her? Or…Bella was a very attractive woman, he could be…I pulled her closer to my side, suddenly wanting to leave.

Jasper saw the motion. He leaned over to Maria and whispered something in her ear. She grinned widely before looking back to Bella.

"So, _Isabel_, where are you from?" she asked, her words filled with false interest. The table was silent as Maria stared expectantly at Bella. What in the world was she up to?

Bella cleared her throat and lifted her eyes towards Maria before answering hesitantly, "California."

"Her father was an old friend of my father's. When Isabel expressed an interest in Chicago I quickly offered my home so she could visit, see how she liked it." I kept my tone casual while picking at my food. It was a lie, and at least four people at the table knew it.

"Ah, I see you two have gotten close."

Scratch that, from the way that woman was looking at me; she knew I was lying as well. Well, two could play at this game.

I lightly kissed Bella on the top of her head before smiling down at her, "It's been in the making for a while. Her moving here just put it in concrete."

I smiled brightly at Maria, ignoring the amused look Jasper had. Maria's eyes narrowed a little at me, and I knew I won this game.

Almost.

"Well, that _is_ nice. I guess you just have one of those faces _Isabel_, because you very much remind me of a girl I once knew."

What? Could it be? _Did_ Maria know Isabel? If I wasn't careful, I would blow my cover. In an attempt to keep a straight face I glanced over to Rosalie, only to see her also glaring at Bella.

"I hear that a lot," Bella said, flashing a smile back to Maria. Her eyes quickly went back to her food.

"No siblings?"

"No, it's just me." Was her hand shaking?

"Now Maria, it couldn't be Isabel over here. This little darlin' looks too sweet to be anything like that Victoria woman. The hair's all wrong anyway."

I looked up, shocked at hearing Jasper's voice. That man never spoke. Wait a minute. Victoria? Who was she? And what did she have to do with Bella?

Maria lifted a hand to stroke his cheek before smiling brightly at Bella. "You're right. Her hair was red."

I was done. I didn't know what their game was, but I wasn't playing. I caught Emmett's eyes and swiped my hair dramatically from my face, pretending to get it caught before dragging it all the way through. He raised his eyebrows at me and I quickly widened my eyes at him so he would hurry it up.

I saw his hands start to move under the table and I sighed in relief. We both had our signals that would get us out of a date gone wrong. They were from our early years but he thankfully still remembered.

In that moment my phone began to ring. I smiled thankfully at Emmett. "I'm sorry guys, I have to take this." I pulled my phone to my ear and began a one-sided conversation. "Esme? What is it? What were you guys even _doing_ around there? Ah…Alright. Where's Alice? Ok Ok, I'll be over in a minute."

I shut the phone and smiled apologetically at the rest of the table. "Sorry guys, that was my Aunt Esme. Her and Carlisle decided to take a 'romantic drive out' and got a flat."

We barely said goodbye as I pulled Bella up and rushed her out of there. It wasn't the most believable story, but I frankly didn't care. I didn't know what their game was, I didn't know what they had to do with Bella, and, once again, I didn't care.

I should have.

* * *

The ride home was…awkward. I wanted to ask about Maria, I _should_ have asked about Maria.

But those two, they were so blatantly off. I convinced myself that Rosalie mentioned Bella, that Maria had her suspicions, maybe she mistaken her for this "Victoria" woman.

"Bella-"

"Edward-"

We were stopped at a red light and I took the chance to look at her. I was surprised to be met by her eyes. "That woman…Will we need to be around her again?"

"That's…a tough one. She's a friend of Rosalie's…" She began to play with the hem of her shirt and I frowned. Maria must have really freaked her out. Anger suddenly hit me as I thought of Maria and Jasper's expressions as they looked at Bella. Condescending, somehow; knowing. I grabbed her hand and brought her fingers to my lips. "I'll take care of this Bella, you don't have to worry."

Bella didn't move her hand; in fact she laced them together.

"So…what's Rosalie's problem with Lucy?" Her tone was different, happier…blander.

Shaking the thoughts away, I went back to the new conversation at hand. "Rosalie…has a lot of jealousy issues."

"Over a dog?"

I laughed. "Lucy is anything but a dog. She has the same issues that Rosalie has. The first time Rosalie slept over Emmett's, Rosalie couldn't even get in the room because Lucy just stood outside the door growling at her."

I heard her laughter and my heart skipped a beat. "I see, Lucy is protective of her man."

"Yea, we always joked that I didn't have a girlfriend because if both of her men were taken, she'd flip."

I was expecting another laugh; instead, she lifted my hand to her lips and softly kissed the spot between my thumb and finger. "I think she'll survive."

I could feel my eyebrows coming together in confusion. Did she just say what I think she said? "Bella…"

I wasn't able to finish my sentence. In a moment my pointer finger was suddenly engulfed in her warm, wet mouth. I jumped at the contact, but she barely flinched. She continued to suck on my finger, her tongue swirling around and…

Shit. You'd think she was…I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. My pants were already uncomfortably tight, I had my finger in her mouth, and I was most certainly not thinking with my brain at the moment. Something that hasn't happened in…well…I'd never been your usual teenage boy. Even with Angela, I'd been thinking more with my anguish than anything else then.

"Bella. I think…" _This is too soon. We don't know each other well enough…_ (I lied, my mind was already sure that I knew enough). _ You've had a traumatic experience._

"Edward, you know what I think?" she asked, her voice more assertive than ever as she took my finger from her mouth. I quickly brought my hand back to the wheel, allowing her to finish. "You think too much. We're both adults. I know you want me. Now I'm going to go up to your room, and you're going to join me. Is that alright with you?"

It took me a moment for it to hit me that we were already stopped in front of my house. Apparently, I'd been a little distracted because I didn't even remember putting the car in park.

I squeezed both my hands on the wheel and blew out a large breath of air. She wanted me to go upstairs with her. She wanted me to make love to her.

Could I do that?

Well, I knew I could…but would it be making love? It all seemed so soon…

I heard her open the car door and turned to look at her. She was currently standing outside, leaning with her head through the door, smiling at me. Oh Bella, your breasts look wonderful in that shirt.

Shit.

I wanted her. I knew I did, I always knew it. But was this right? Bella was something beautiful, magnificent, a true angel. Was I taking advantage? Was this because she thought she owed me?

I opened my mouth to say something but was stopped when she suddenly lunged over the seat and stopped my mouth with her lips.

Dear God, she tasted as good as I remembered.

Bella pulled away and smiled again. That smile…how could I say no to it?

I couldn't.

* * *

A/N: Lucy's story is, in fact, true. It's based off of my dad's dog that he had when he was younger named Reggie. I think she thought that she was my dad's mate, growled at my mom for like a month when they first got married, and wouldn't let her in their bed. (Later, if they stayed out partying or something they'd end up at Motels….the three of them, and if my dad went to bed too early, my mom would take Reggie and get Jack in the Box). Then when my sister was born it was like she saw my mom as a surrogate mom and was Erin's protector until she died. Wouldn't even go to work with my dad after my sister was born. (I wasn't alive yet)

**READ THIS! **No, you will not be getting a lemon next chapter. Sorry, you might get a lime. If it blows though, I'm not keeping it in. **Even though Sobriquett really, really thinks I should attempt it even if it never sees the light of day, or rather anyone else's screen. She'll attempt something equally cringe worthy if it helps. XD **(--Sobriquett had something to say apparently)

I love Maria. I think she should be used more in stories. If you have good ones with her, you should recommend them.

No one responded about Carmen and Eleazer so I think I'm going to leave this up. I would love mental for them…

I don't think I responded to reviews last chapter. My e-mail's been kind of messed up and I have a crappy memory. Don't worry; it shall be done this chapter. I love you all and thank you for reviewing this complicated mess that takes forever to update XD.

No one talks anymore on my forum…Maybe if there was more chat I'd stay in a Venenum mood and write more…just saying.

http://www(DOT)twilighted(DOT)net/forum/viewtopic(DOT)php?f=44&t=3383


	10. Faking It

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns it.

A/N: I get distracted easily. I started another one-shot. And I desperately wanted to get around writing any sort of lime/lemon. Although it dawned on me it's only been a month since last update…whoot.

I read that Chicago has hippies. Then I came to the conclusion that every city has hippies somewhere, and every city definitely has people playing music somewhere.

* * *

It was not where I thought I would end up this morning. At this point in my plan we would be watching a movie in the living room, my arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders as she snuggled into my side. I would have kissed her goodnight at her bedroom door, maybe kissed her on the couch.

I just wanted her to be comfortable with me.

Which is why I never thought I'd be sitting on my knees in front of my bed, my head snug between her legs. With the exception of my disastrous one night stand, I was not a man who just jumped into bed with a woman. It was one reason why many of my relationships hadn't lasted long, and I was the source of many jokes for Tanya who claimed I was more of a woman than she was.

In that moment, as I listened to her incredibly overdone moaning and screaming, I remembered why. Without comfort, sexual acts become more of an act than anything. And Bella was definitely playing her part enthusiastically.

Let me make this incredibly clear: I had complete faith in my ability to make a woman moan. I was quite good at it, and I spend a nice amount of time on it. While I may not have been with many, I had a good amount of experience. With Angela it was just a big learning experience. I always made sure she was happy, but we were clumsy, unsure. We were also forced to be quiet, since we were young and unable to get much time alone for such things. Later, my only other longer term girlfriend was Maggie. Through her I learned little tricks, things that would eventually make her cuss in ecstasy.

Bella…well, I had barely even touched my tongue to her and she was screaming. I wondered if anyone actually believed this. Or why she felt the need to fake anything with me. Well, it's not like she knew me well enough.

"Oooooooooooooh. Yes! Yes! Edward! Fuck!"

What was this? A porno?

At this point I was completely distracted, and I knew my performance wasn't worthy of her screaming at all. When she started to scream that she was "cumming" I slid my fingers inside of her, at this point, completely out of curiosity.

Oh. She was good.

She was even clenching her muscles, and to an ignorant man it would seem like she was orgasming.

I was not ignorant. I was quite observant. She definitely _wasn't_ orgasming.

I couldn't help it. Pulling my face away, I started to smile at the utter ridiculousness of the situation. In fact, I started to bite hard at my lip to keep myself from laughing and offending her completely.

"Edward?"

I looked up at her and she frowned at my expression. I shook my head, unable to keep myself from chuckling.

Climbing back on the bed I slid her up with me towards a pillow, her legs no longer hanging off the side of the bed. She looked ready to continue and I had to grab her hand to keep it from reaching into my boxers.

"We've had a long day, why don't we go to sleep?"

My smile was quickly whipped from my face at her hurt expression. I probably should have stopped the chuckle. Whatever Bella thought she was doing, she obviously thought I would be pleased.

Unsure of what else to do I kissed her softly on the lips, and then again on her forehead. Feeling her relax, I pulled her close to my chest and touched my lips to her neck, happy when she wrapped her arms around me, snuggling her body closer to mine.

I would have to talk to her because this definitely couldn't happen again.

* * *

The next morning I got a call from Alice asking if I could bring Bella to the mall. I readily agreed, not ready for the inevitable conversation with her.

"So, will you be staying with us?" Bella asked when she found out I'd be dropping her off.

I shrugged. "I'm used to shopping with Alice, although I have a feeling she'll want alone time with you."

"So…what will you do then?"

"Book store or a café." I smiled at her and rubbed her thigh. "Don't worry about it."

She smiled back and put her hand on mine. We held hands the rest of the way, which put me in a significantly better mood than the one I'd woke up in. It seemed like things weren't going to be weird, good.

I spoke too soon.

Now, considering the distress I felt whenever she showed up, one would think that I didn't like Rosalie. This was far from the truth. I loved her with all my heart, the same way that I loved Alice. In my mind they were my sisters and I would do anything for them, just as they would for me.

The problem was that Rosalie had a habit of thinking she knew what was best for the people around her, myself being one of them. Not that we both didn't have this problem, because I knew I could be difficult as well, but it was this similarity that caused us to clash. I already had evidence that Rosalie didn't like Bella, and that could be fatal if I wasn't careful.

"Rose, Em, I didn't know you guys would be here." I smiled, even if I was a little uncomfortable with this new development. I held Bella's hand tighter when I felt her squeeze mine. Either she felt my discomfort or Rosalie…yes, Rosalie was giving her a very diabolic looking smile. Great.

"You didn't? It was actually my idea. I figured you and Emmett could go do guy stuff, while Alice, Bella, and I bonded." Rosalie's smile was a little too bright, and Alice's was a little too guilty. She knew she had me, and she'd gotten Alice to help her.

I looked at Bella and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "If you're uncomfortable at all…"

She just smiled and shook her head. "It'll be fine. You go have fun with Emmett."

Before leaving them I made sure to warn Rose to play nice. In one ear and out the other, as always.

"Dude, calm down. Isabel seems like a nice girl, I'm sure Rose will warm up to her." Emmett, ever the optimist, was trying to calm me down as we sat in a café. I quickly tried to change the subject.

"So, you and Rose are back together again?" I asked, happy I finally had the chance to ask. If Rosalie was going to put the third degree on Bella, then damnit, I could do the same.

"Yea…We decided to give it another try." He was suddenly very uncomfortable. He knew what was coming. Sitting back, I crossed my arms across my chest and raised an eyebrow at him. "What? You had to know it was coming!"

"And when did it come Emmett? Was it before or after you were going home with that chick at the bar?" I remembered everything about that night. It was the night I had met Bella.

"I know, I know…It was a stupid move man, I know. Trust me, I know. I was just so convinced it was over the last time you know?" I knew. I'd heard it from both of them. "A few days later Rosie called, asking for another try."

I nodded. "If you think this is a good idea…I just don't think either of you can handle another break-up like the last one."

We remained in silence for a few minutes and I debated dropping it. I still didn't know what happened last time, but I was positive that, like a brother to me or no, he wouldn't be around for it to happen again.

"Did you know she started therapy?"

"Yea, not too long after the break-up she came to me asking for a recommendation…" She'd been so distraught when she finally asked, something not many saw. I wondered… "Was that the reason for the last break-up?"

Emmett began to fidget, and I knew I'd got it right. "She just…she just wasn't getting help. And nothing was changing! Together for how fucking long and it was like we were in the same spot we started out in. I've been patient, incredibly patient, because I fucking love that woman, man, but I just didn't know what to do anymore." He was beginning to get distressed and I wondered if I should have asked at all. "I mean, I understand that what she went through was horrible, and traumatic, and that it takes time, but she wasn't even trying! Ten years Edward, and I still can't put my hand under her skirt!

"Don't fucking look at me like that! You know that's not all it's about! She just never got all that out of her system man, and that's not fucking healthy. She just took over that bank, and threw everything of herself into it. And all I could do was just sit around and watch as she got more tired with work and her nightmares…They were getting worse, Edward. It's supposed to get better with time, not worse! So one day I finally snapped. I'm not as strong as she is - I never said I was because I'm not… - I said 'you either get some help, or I'm gone, because I just can't do it anymore'…"

"You think you'll be able to do it now?" I quietly asked, because I couldn't blame him.

Rose's situation was never given the treatment it should have been. The Hales probably would have made her go through with the wedding to Royce if Maria hadn't taken care of that. No therapy or help of any kind. She was expected to just continue on with her life, get married to a millionaire, and pretend the situation had never happened. God, I hated those people. None of us missed them when they passed on. Rosalie quickly inherited the bank, and proved that she was incredibly competent in owning it (as we all knew she would be). And that's been her life ever since.

No, it wasn't healthy, and no, I couldn't really blame him. But he sure as hell had better be sure.

"I don't think I got a choice man, that woman owns me." Emmett smiled before taking a gulp of his drink.

I nodded in response, and for once I felt like I might know the feeling.

* * *

We were walking towards the spot we'd agreed to meet the girls at when I saw Rosalie angrily walking towards us.

"Emmett, keep going. I need to speak with Edward alone," she practically commanded and I rolled my eyes. Emmett gave me an apologetic look before he walked away. I let her lead me around the corner.

"What in the world are you thinking?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Rose." I kept my tone level, and rolled my eyes. This proved to frustrate her even further. I loved Rose, but we could have some epic arguments, and I didn't think either of us was in the mood today.

"Aren't you supposed to be the one who's good at reading people? What happened to our talk? Instinct! How can you not see it?"

"See what? Just spit out!"

"That girl is playing you for all you're worth. You may as well just hand her the money and get it over with."

I was expecting her to say it. It was clear from the moment I mentioned Bella to Emmett that she didn't like her. It was clear _why_ she didn't like her. Hell, I'd heard pretty much the same thing from Leah just the day before. None of it surprised me at all.

What surprised me was the amount of anger I felt when I heard it. It was tight in my chest and, for the first time in a long time, I felt the uncontrollable urge to hit something.

"You have nothing to say to that, do you?" Her expression turned smug and I knew that she was taking my silence for agreement.

Unconsciously, my hands curled into fists and I forced them to relax. I took a deep breath before responding. "Only that you're completely wrong, and being utterly ridiculous."

"_I'm_ being ridiculous?" she all but shrieked. "You're the one who let a stranger into your home, your _bed_, and are doing whatever you can to appease the little gold-digger!"

"You don't know anything about her! And guess what! You don't _want_ to know anything about her. You made your choice before you even met her, so excuse me if your opinion means absolutely _shit_ to me."

I stepped back, I hadn't noticed that I'd gotten closer as we spoke. We stood there for a few seconds, just glaring at each other, before she heaved a large sigh.

"Fine. Do whatever you want. But when you lose all your money don't come crying to me."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes again. Money. Always about money with her. _Like her parents._ I quickly shook the thought away.

Rose thankfully didn't catch on to my thought process, but she did catch onto the fact that I was very obviously ignoring her. "Oh, just to warn you, before you take her home you might need to rip her away from that bum guitar player she's been mooning over for the past ten minutes."

With a flick of her hair she made her way back to the meeting point.

"_mooning over for the last ten minutes…"_

…mooning? Bella? Was Rose serious? Or was she just trying to get a rise out of me?

It worked.

I was practically sprinting to the clearing where I saw a small band set up, playing a fast paced song. I wasn't really paying attention. I searched the small crowd until I found the brown hair I was looking for, swaying next to the black hair attached to my sister.

I stopped abruptly when I saw her face. Sure enough, her cheeks were flushed and her eyes dark, as her body swayed with the music, mesmerized by the guitar playing hippie in front of her, who had the worst black wig I'd ever seen. And could barely play the instrument he was holding. And was staring at her with just as much, maybe more, intensity.

Before I knew what was happening I was standing beside her. The guitarist had his attention on the rest of the band, and Bella was smiling up at me as if she'd been waiting for me the whole time. Did that not just happen? Was I losing my mind? Were Rosalie's comments affecting me to the point where my mind was playing tricks on me?

"You ready to leave?"

Her expression changed from glad to worried (or nervous?) before she nodded. We said our goodbyes to Alice and the others, while I made an effort to ignore Rosalie's smug expression. We'd just gotten to the parking lot before I snapped.

"So, I thought you didn't know anyone here." I tried not to sound like a crazy jealous boyfriend, but I probably sounded just that. But I had a right to know this, right? Not only as a potential boyfriend, but as the man who's been keeping her in his home. Trusting her to be honest…

Even if I really had no reason to.

"I don't." She replied in a matter-of-fact manner. As if this was a basic truth and she wasn't just eye-fucking some bum with a guitar.

Although, she could be telling the truth. She could just have a thing for guys playing the guitar. Or hippies. Or maybe it was just the music. I hoped it was just the music.

Shit. The tension was beginning to leave my muscles. I was being ridiculous.

"Edward?"

I sighed and put the car in drive. "I'm sorry…Rose just said some things to me and I guess I got a little jumpy."

"Yea…I don't think she likes me much."

"Did she say something to you?" Saying something to me was one thing, but what right did Rose have to bitch to Bella?

Bella just shrugged. Great, I was getting angry again. My hand tightened on the steering wheel and I tried to take deep breaths. Damn, what was wrong with me? I hadn't been like this in a long time.

"…Edward?"

…Was she laughing at me?

"Edward, calm down. I'm sure we'll warm up to each other." She began to stroke my arm, a smile on her face. "Everything's going to be fine."

I instantly began to calm at the feel of her hand on my sleeve and I forced a smile. "I'm sorry. I just get a little…tense sometimes."

"I can help you with that…"

And here it comes. I forced myself not to groan at the tone of her voice. I knew what she was offering, and I also knew that I couldn't accept it.

"Bella…I think we should talk about that…" This didn't seem like the right time or place at all, but it had to be done. "I think we should wait...before we do something like that again."

I dared to glance in her direction. Wide brown eyes stared back, shocked that I had made such a suggestion.

Shit. I was going to lose her like I did all the other girlfriends. She was going to decide that I was like a little school girl who wanted to save herself. I might as well just give her Tanya's number now.

"But…why?"

Shit shit shit. How the hell could I say this without coming off like a complete asshole? I tried to stall as we pulled into the driveway - scene of the crime from the last conversation that got me in this situation.

"It's just…well. I don't know how to say this." I dragged my hand through my hair in frustration.

"Are you…are you not attracted to me?"

"WHAT?" Aw fuck. She wasn't even looking at me now. "No no, that's not it at all. Believe me; I'm _very_ attracted to you. I mean…I….I don't think I've ever been _so_ attracted to someone."

I probably said too much, but I couldn't have her thinking that way.

"Then what is it? It's okay Edward, you can tell me."

I took a deep breath, and hoped this was better than her theory.

"Look, Bella, last night…I mean, I know I'm good at what I do, but I don't think anyone's _that_ good. I know I'd just gotten started." I didn't look at her as I said it, and waited to see if she'd be offended. We sat in silence before I finally snuck a peek at her. She looked…astonished. "What?"

"I'm sorry it's just…no ones ever called me on it before. I don't think anyone's ever noticed."

_And how many would that be?_ I wanted to ask, but just decided that she's only ever had sex with idiots and left it at that. Whether there was one or a number I didn't want to think about, they were all idiots, and that's all that was important.

"Are you…offended?" I asked, unsure of what to make of her response. I didn't want to push it.

She slowly shook her head before biting on her bottom lip. Bella looked around for a second, as if someone was standing around the car and listening in to our conversation.

"Can I tell you a secret?" she all but whispered.

"Of course". A secret? I was intrigued. Any information from her was something precious to be stored.

"I've never...Well…I've never…" She began to move her hands in the way that someone would f they were waiting for someone to finish a sentence. It took me a second, but it dawned on me what she had to be saying.

"You've never…finished." I felt my mouth fall open at the statement. Never? What type of…? This beautiful treasure deserved to have a man worship that body for hours. What type of a man would leave her wanting?

"Well…Not by another's hand. No."

_She's probably too busy faking it for the assholes who didn't know what they were doing._

"The only other person who knew said there must have been something wrong with me, so I just learned how to fake it. It was easier that way."

I could kill him.

"Bella…there's nothing wrong with you. And I don't want you to feel like you have to fake anything with me. Whatever we do, whenever we do it, I want you to be comfortable. And if you ever want to stop, just tell me."

I was happy with how the conversation ended up. Hopefully she would take my words to heart, and we wouldn't have another situation like the night before.

Then I heard a sniffle.

"Bella….Bella, are you crying?" She was. Within seconds I was out of the car, around to her side, door opened and crouched by her side. I put both my hands on her face and made her look into my eyes. Her eyes were glassy, no tears falling, but that was enough for me. "I'm sorry, whatever I said I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned it, I'm sorry."

She violently shook her head from side to side. "No no no, Edward, nothing like that. You've just been so good to me…"

I smiled at her. Unable to stop myself I leaned in and pressed my lips against her forehead. This was good; we were going to be alright.

"Alright, enough of this, why don't we go in and I'll make you something to eat?"

I stood and helped her up and out of the car. We made our way to the door before she abruptly stopped.

"Edward?" Her voice had some hesitance in it, but any trace of the girl before was gone. Her eyes were free of any liquid, only wide and innocent looking. I nodded for her to continue and raised an eyebrow when she started to fiddle with her shirt. "Can I still sleep in your room?"

A part of me said this would be a very bad idea. Having her that close to me…

But having her that close to me…

How could I say no?

I couldn't.

(I never would.)

A/N: Yea, I'll admit it; the first part was very much me coming through. Whenever I read a romance novel type thing or a lemon or even just a friend telling me something I always think "wow…that would annoy the shit out of me." I'd be like, "dude, your distracting me, shut up."

_Best Laid Plans_ by La Tua Cantante.83, read it**. **AU for Eclipse with a Bella that will frustrate the shit out of you, an Edward that will break your heart, and everyone is altogether INCREDIBLY Canon.

My beautiful beta Sobriquet, I just betaed her chapter for _Blind Faith_, which I know you're all reading since I told you to go away if you weren't. She also wrote me a present _L'heure Bleue_, that is just beautiful and the best present I could ask for.

No one talks anymore on my forum…Maybe if there was more chat I'd stay in a Venenum mood and write more…just saying.

http://www(DOT)twilighted(DOT)net/forum/viewtopic(DOT)php?f=44&t=3383

Thank you all for reviewing! I recently reread this and was like "wow…this is crap", so I'm glad you don't think so. Thank you guys so much!


	11. Green Women

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, _Original Sin, So I Married an Axe Murderer, _or _Star Trek _in any way.

A/N: This is what happens when Zachary Quinto and Star Trek rule my brain.

* * *

_Christmas Eve. Different from all the other Christmases. The boy is used to his cousins, who may be girls but are still fun. Especially Tanya…He misses his almost-sister Tanya. Or his Aunt Esme, who always bakes warm chocolate chip cookies and allows him to help no matter what everyone says about him being a boy and how boys don't bake. _

_Instead, he sits in their overly decorated living room in front of their monstrous tree, and wonders if his house was always so empty. His mother keeps a smile on her face as she hands him a candy cane, which he holds with little enthusiasm. _

"_But Mama, why can't we have Christmas with everyone like we normally do?" he asks, wondering if it's too late to get his mother to change her mind. _

_His mother smiles at him, and strokes his hair before gesturing towards his father, who sits sullenly in his armchair, eyes now narrowed towards Edward's mother. "Why don't you ask your father that, honey?"_

_The boy tilts his head in question._

"_Elizabeth…" his father quietly warns._

"_You see, your father thought it would be alright to make eyes at your mother's sis—"_

"**Elizabeth!**"

_The child flinches. _

"_Can I speak to you? __**Alone**__?" his father growls. The boy begins to open his candy cane in an attempt to hide himself away from the situation. _

"_Now now, Edward, it's Christmas. We don't want to leave our child all alone."_

"_He wouldn't __**have**__ to be alone if you didn't let you weren't completely insane!"_

_The boy closes his eyes and slams his hands over his ears. When he opens them again his parents are gone. _

_The room seems to have grown. _

_Voices echo._

"_Don't you dare make me out to be the psycho here!"_

"_She's your sister, for God's sake! If you don't trust me, you can at least trust her."_

"_That little hussy? Are you serious? You are aware that Tanya's father was married, Kate's was engaged to his girlfriend of ten years, and Irina, well, who the hell knows where she came from? None of whom want anything to do with her anymore."_

"…_how the hell do you even know all that?"_

"_And I _refuse_ to let her add you to that list."_

"_**LIZZIE! **__Do you honestly think I would do that to you?"_

_There is silence. The boy moves closer to where he believes the voices came from._

"_I just love you so much…"_

_It's not clear who says it and it doesn't really matter. _

_Unexpectedly everything changes; his parent's voices have disappeared and are replaced with screams. _

_Loud and frightening screams. _

* * *

I woke up to screaming. I was completely disoriented until it hit me where I was, and who exactly was screaming.

"Bella?"

I wasn't holding her the way I had been when we fell asleep, as I normally slept on my stomach. I rolled over, suddenly wide awake. Déjà vu, it would seem. Back to the first morning she stayed in my home.

Bella's hands were clenched into fists, tears streaming down her pale cheeks.

"Bella, Bella, wake up." I began to gently rub her shoulders, but that only seemed to turn her screams into loud whimpers. Finally, I gave them a shake.

Her eyes snapped open and she looked around wildly. When Bella lifted a hand, I grabbed it in an attempt to bring her back to here and now, back to me.

"Are you alright?" I asked quietly, still nervous that I might frighten her.

She started to calm, her eyes taking one final sweep of the room before focusing on me entirely. "I'm sorry…" She tugged a strand of hair behind her ear before taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry, was I screaming?"

I could only nod.

"Oh, wow, I'm so sorry. That must have freaked you out…" Bella began to fidget a bit, pulling down her shirt where it had ridden up, pushing imaginary strands of hair away. "I have night terrors."

"…night terrors."

"Yea. You had to see it when I was younger. My mom was practically an insomniac from all the yelling I did." Bella was laughing now, absently wiping her cheeks free of stray tears. "There was this one time I apparently started screaming and pointing at the closet. Who knows what I thought was in there."

I slowly nodded, unsure of what I thought about her story, at the same time not completely sure if it mattered. What does one do about nightmares? I didn't know. Not if she wouldn't even tell me about them. So even if she was lying, it's not like I could do much to help her.

I just had to trust that if these were nightmares, she would tell me eventually.

Probably.

Perhaps I should have pushed more…?

"Oh wow, it's almost time for you to get up for work…"

"Bella, maybe you should talk to someone about those night terr-"

"Hey! I have an idea! You should call in sick!"

I snapped out of my thought process and looked at her, confused. "Are you not feeling well? Do you need anything…Because I can call Alice or my Aunt-"

"No, no." She shook her head, cutting me off again. "It's just…when was the last time you called in sick?"

I shrugged. Probably never.

"Exactly. You should call in and we can spend the day watching movies together."

I began to decline. I never called in. Maybe if I did something other than what I did, I would, but just one day could make a difference for any of my patients.

But she was smiling so brightly…

"Come on, Edward. We won't even leave the bed."

…and it's not like we didn't have other surgeons at the hospital…

She stretched in front of me, grabbing the phone off my nightstand. My eyes were level with the sliver of smooth skin showing as her shirt rose a bit. God, she smelled amazing.

"There's still so much about each other that we could learn…"

I called in.

* * *

I was uncomfortable claiming to be sick, but I knew it couldn't be told from my voice. I'd always been a good liar, even if it was something I didn't like to do. After hanging up the phone, I walked downstairs to the kitchen where Bella was making pancakes. I offered my help, which she declined, and sat at the counter.

"So, how did you sleep? I hope I didn't keep you awake."

"Nope, not until the end when I woke up." I was content leaving the conversation there when I stopped myself. I'd already decided to stop hiding things the way she did. My honesty could bring out her own. "I've been having these weird dreams lately though."

"What about?" Bella asked as she poured some of the mix into the pan.

"My parents…Things from when I was younger."

She stopped to look over at me, her eyebrows drawn together in concern. "Bad things?"

I shrugged. "I guess it's just hitting me how…different my parent's' relationship was."

Bella flipped the pancake before turning back to me, waiting.

Instinct said to wait, not to tell her my story. It was personal and not…not….no. I was supposed to be open with her. I'd promised myself I would be from now on.

So I told her. I left nothing out as I told her about my dream, the first Christmas without the full family. There would be no more Christmases with them until my Aunt Sasha passed away a few years later.

"Passed away?"

"Yes, she died in childbirth. She and the baby both died…"

Bella placed a plate of pancakes in front of me before sitting in the seat beside me, her small hand reaching for mine. "So much death…"

I shrugged it away. This was meant to be a happy day.

"Edward…Your mother…Was she always so…?"

"Intense?"

She hesitated before nodding. Not the word she was going to use, but I tried not to think of my mother in a negative way.

"Elizabeth Masen loved very deeply. The Platt's in general were a hard family to live with, so she barely considered them her real family. My father and I, _we_ were her family. And my father…She could be brutal when it came to him." _Obsessive. Possessive. Dependent. So dependent. Enough to leave her son._ "Did you know that I was left everything in my grandfather's will?"

"…You mean he…?" Her eyes widened as she tried to add up how much that was exactly.

"Three daughters, ; each deemed a disappointment except for my mother. My father being who he was, quite the catch, and then to have a son....In old Grandfather Platt's mind she had everything going for her. Sasha never got married at all, each of her children from a different father. And my Aunt Esme…Well, no matter how great the Cullen name would be, the old man never did forgive her for divorcing her first husband."

"Wow…That's…wow. How did your cousins handle that?"

I looked at her, confused by her question. "Well, I guess they were hurt at first, but they understood that it wasn't really meant to offend them."

"But Edward…they never tried to fight you for it?"

"Fight me….Oh!" Did she really believe…? "Bella, I split the money between us all after he died. How could I have kept it?"

She seemed genuinely surprised. I didn't know whether to be personally insulted or sad for the way her thought process automatically took. To think anyone would be that greedy... Before I could question her, or think further on the subject, I was pulled from my thoughts by a light touch on my arm.

"You're a remarkable man, Edward."

I smiled, before lightly pressing my lips to her's.

* * *

We couldn't agree on a movie to watch at first, so I turned the channel to Comedy Central. _So I Married an Axe Murderer_ was on, in a minority since it was a movie I'd never actually sat down and watched but Bella apparently loved. We were only a quarter of the way through before I started to compare.

It was about a woman with a secret past and the guy who marries her even though he thinks that she may be an axe murderer who's killed four of her husband's. In the end it was her sister who was killing people.

Slowly, my eyes turned to Bella. Not one of my best theories…but not the worst.

"Sooo Bella…Don't suppose you have any crazy sisters out there?"

She giggled and lifted her head from where it was resting on my chest. "You mean I haven't told you about Ester?"

Turned out she was quite ticklish. "Ester? That's the name you come up with? Ester?" I asked while running my fingers across very sensitive ribs.

"Well….it's better….than….Harriet!"

Damn, I loved the sound of her laughter.

"Alright Bella, it's time." I jumped off the bed, still feeling giddy.

"Oh yea? What's it time for?"

"I'm going to show you my guilty pleasure. Something I have shared with barely anyone." I strode to one of the few book shelves that I kept in my room, the only one covered by a thick blanket.

"Edward, if you pull out some sort of weird porn…"

Before she could finish her statement I yanked back the sheet and waited for her response.

OK, I'll admit, I was worried what she'd think. There were many different aspects of my personality to take in. This one…well…

"Oh my God, you're into green women."

After she got all her laughter out of her system, I sat down and we discussed my closet Star Trek addiction.

"Edward, out of all the things…This is definitely not what I was expecting."

In the end, I was glad I showed her. We watched my favorite episodes from The Original Series, which meant I needed to explain exactly why The Original Series was, in fact, my favorite of all.

"OK, so it might be the corniest, with the least amount of special effects and all that-"

"Which isn't saying much."

I narrowed my eyes and she smiled innocently before gesturing for me to continue. "But I think that's why it's so special. Star Trek was the birth of so many things, opened a lot of minds…and I'm rambling…"

"No, it's OK. It's sweet to see you so passionate." Bella stroked my hair as she spoke, watching me with a small smile on her face. "Carefree…and oh so dorky."

This began another round of tickling…which quickly turned into a rather heated session of making out.

"I feel like a teenager again!" she explained happily at one point.

I quickly agreed. Laughing through episodes of Star Trek, eating weird sandwiches (peanut butter and banana, she insisted they were the best), and making out as if we were waiting for our parent's to catch us.

It was bliss.

* * *

We took a break for dinner, the day passing by us quickly. Afterwards we watched the newest movie, and I rolled my eyes at Bella's comments about Kirk and Spock. Apparently she had a bit of a crush on Chris Pine.

"You know, there's a resemblance there," she commented at one point, looking from me to the TV.

I didn't see it.

By the time the movie was over, I was still filling her in on random facts about the movie, just as I had done with the episodes. I'd stopped a few times but she assured me that she found it interesting, so she'd patiently listen, her head leaning on my chest as she smiled softly at me.

"—the original music which they didn't want to play until the end since—"

I was abruptly cut off when she pulled her body up to kiss my lips. As she pulled away, I smiled and met her heated expression. She bit her lip and smiled sweetly, seductively, at me. Warm hands were peeling off my shirt and I lifted my arms so Bella could pull it off completely.

I frowned.

"Bella…"

Her finger touched my lips and she shook her head. Biting back any other argument, I tried to remember my reasons as to why this wasn't a good idea.

It's too soon. She's not comfortable enough…But we were so comfortable today.

It had barely been any time since her last attempt. _God, was that really just Saturday? _

"I love your chest…" she purred. Her tongue flicked a nipple, making me jump.

"Bella,." I grabbed her arms this time and looked at her. "I don't want to rush this."

She rolled her eyes and yanked off her shirt.

Fuck. Bella didn't sleep in a bra. And apparently found no reason to put one on this morning.

Exquisite…

"Edward, we are both consenting adults who care very deeply about each other." Bella came to straddle my lap, my eyes almost level with her breasts. I blinked before looking back up to her eyes. They were determined. Bella took my face between her hands. "I really see no reason why not."

Her lips crashed back to mine and she bit roughly down on my bottom lip. I was having trouble thinking of another reason why this shouldn't happen. We were consenting adults. We cared **deeply** about each other (although I doubted she knew how deeply I found myself caring, this was a step in the right direction). If she could tell me this, if Bella was falling as quickly as I was…That had to mean something, right?

Taking over the kiss, I gently slipped my tongue into her mouth and tasted the surroundings. My hands began moving of their own accord, gently touching her pert breasts before massaging them. Her mouth left mine and kissed its way to my ear, and I groaned loudly as she bit down on my earlobe. If she didn't know how sensitive my ears were, she certainly did now.

We continued on in this matter until I was in my boxers, my stomach now wet from the moisture between her legs. Apparently Bella didn't wear underwear either.

Those little hands were traveling into my waist band when something finally hit me. "Condoms!"

Bella started at my voice, and I forced myself to look into her eyes instead of at her naked body, straddling my legs. "What?"

"Condoms…I don't have any condoms." I hadn't kept or used a condom in…years. And Bella came to me without anything, so I doubted she was on the pill at the moment. And…

I wasn't ready. Not yet. We'd had one good day; I wanted to have many. I wanted the routine that two people who lived together created. I wanted this room to be ours. I wanted to know every inch of her body, every crevice, every wrinkle, every smile, every blush, every…

I wanted her to love me when it happened.

Bella had different plans.

She smiled in triumph as she reached her hand beneath the pillow she'd been using and pulled out a condom.

"And one day this week I'll come to work with you so I can get some real birth control." There was no room for argument with this statement, and if I wasn't so aroused I would have been incredibly uneasy.

Shit shit shit. It had been so long since the last time I'd had sex. I knew I was good at it but what if I finished too early? And Bella, there would be no end for her. Would she even enjoy it? Well, she said she would, but how could she not be frustrated by the end?

I'd wanted our first time to be loving and beautiful. I wanted to take my time with her. I'd hoped she'd be relaxed enough to maybe even finish.

What was this?

Cool air hit my erection as Bella started to yank my boxers off my hips.

"Bella…"

It was strained, and I couldn't tell if it was a warning or a moan.

A moan. Definitely a moan. Because her warm hands were replacing the air, lightly stroking me.

I probably should have gotten up. I probably should have asked her if we could take this slow, like we agreed. But I didn't. Because this was Bella, taking the initiative, and she…she looked happy, as I complied.

Happy? Looking back, I'm not so sure. But at the time, she seemed happy. And me…

"Relax, love, relax."

How easily her words could influence me. 'Love', a sobriquet really, but it gave me hope. And it put a name to the emotion welling up inside my chest, ready to burst.

_I can't say no…I just can't do it._

I watched quietly as she removed her hands and opened the small package, didn't argue as she slipped the condom on me. I even reached out to hold onto her hips as she positioned herself on my lap, her hands stroking the sides of my face.

"Enjoy this, Edward. Enjoy me." She lightly pressed her lips to mine before gently lowering herself until she was completely surrounding me.

The feeling in my chest burst, and I swallowed her gasp in shock as my hands clutched her hips, raising them before bringing them down again.

I could only think one thing.

Almost in a frenzy, I lost myself in her warmth as her insides clutched around me. I was able to register the fact that Bella seemed much quieter this time, more natural. The only sounds were our heavy breathing and the occasional moan.

I could still only think one thing.

I didn't mind at all. The way she met each kiss with equal amount of passion, the way her hands slid into my hair and yanked hard, I knew she was enjoying this.

The thought pulsed in my ears, radiating throughout my body.

And so, with her body flush against mine, my arms wrapped tightly around her body, our lips connected and her breath on my tongue, it didn't take me long to finish.

The words came to the tip of my tongue before I swallowed them back, instead clutching her to my body, not ready to break our connection just yet.

_I love you. _

_

* * *

_

A/N: Sooo, this chapter was supposed to be muuuch different. But Bella was like "hey, we're gonna have sex OK?" and I was all like "…no no, I don't think you will" and she was all like "….no, we really are." She can be very persistent. And I was all like "Edward, you totally…hey…HEY!" And this quarter of a lemon happened. Enjoy it because that's as much as you're getting.

Sobriquet and I are running a contest called The Jekyll and Cullen Contest. It's for fics that are somehow based off of the book, or a movie/play/book based off of Jekyll and Hyde. Write an admission :).

http://www(DOT)fanfiction(DOT)net/u/2170415/Jekyll_and_Cullen

Things you should be reading; _Blind Faith_ by Sobriquet, _Best Laid Plans_ by La Tua Cantante.83, _Dead Confederates _by goldenmeadow, _Master Race_ by Babette12, and _Just Like Them_ by twoquestionmarks. And anything else by said authors cause it's all awesome.

As always, say hi on the forum. As questions, give theories, etc.

http://www(DOT)twilighted(DOT)net/forum/viewtopic(DOT)php?f=44&t=3383


	12. Delusions

A/N: Yea, it's been a while. Last semester of college kicked my ass and a whole bunch of one-shots begged to be written. I even won a contest. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

A very deep-rooted sense of responsibility which had been engraved in my head since I was a child kept me from staying in another day. And the next. And the next. And the next.

My nights were filled with warmth and ecstasy and, at least on my part, love.

I was having trouble with my newfound love for Bella. Was I being a fool? Was it too quick? My mother had always told me that she'd known my father was hers instantly. And this thing with Bella…it was everything my mother had spoke about. It was everything my father had ever discouraged me from finding.

For most of the week, I had to fight myself not to stay in bed with Bella in my arms. Two days ago, I almost cracked before Alice came barging in telling me to leave and let them have some girl time. I saw Bella briefly when she and Alice came in to get a new prescription for Bella's birth control, but unfortunately Alice had her out of there as fast as she could.

I was glad that Alice was warming up to Bella so much. Apparently they even had lunch with my Aunt Esme. I was starting to get optimistic. Maybe Alice and Esme could work on Rosalie and, when she came back, Leah as well. I had so many important women in my life, family; it would be wonderful if they could all treat Bella as one of them instead of some intruder.

The feeling of dread that bloomed in my chest when I was informed that I had a phone call from dear Rosalie told me I'd thought too quickly.

/You had better get that little tart out of your house and you'd better do it soon./

I could already feel the headache coming on and for a moment I dropped the phone from my ear and pressed my thumb and pointer finger to the bridge of my nose. This was going to be an annoying conversation, and I really wished she could have waited for me to get home to have it.

"Do we really need to have this conversation _again_?" I asked, hoping every ounce of my annoyance made it through the phone.

/Considering that your _sister_ just came here in tears, yes, we do./

That got my attention. "Alice? What's wrong with Alice?"

/Why don't you ask your new live-in mistress? You come straight to Carlisle and Esme's when you're finished at work. We need to have a long conversation about that gold digging skank./

She promptly hung up and I was left in a state of shock. What could Bella have possibly done to reduce Alice to tears? This had to be an overreaction. Girls did that, didn't they? There had to have been some sort of explanation.

Luckily, I didn't have to go too far to find out. When I left my office, Bella was standing right in front of me.

And she looked very nervous, and very upset.

* * *

For the first time in a while, I took a full lunch break. Bella and I walked off the hospital grounds as I waited for her to tell me what was wrong.

"I heard something happened with Alice?" I prompted.

She let out a shaky breath. "I'm sorry, Edward. I should have told you the first time—"

"First time?" What in the world was going on with these two? It had been three days! How much could possibly happen in three days?

Apparently, a lot.

"We were talking and having fun and then all of a sudden she froze up and just got this weird look in her eyes. I was so nervous, especially after what you told me about her seizures, but then she just got all…dreamy and weird."

Alice wasn't taking her medication, which wasn't a surprise at all. It was strange that she had a seizure in the daytime instead of while she slept, but these things happened sometimes. Alice's situation was always a little more unique than others. But this seemed to be a bit more dire than just that.

"I'm sorry that scared you…"

"Well, yea, that freaked me out, but that wasn't really the scary part." She kept walking until we reached a bench and we both sat down. "Well, I asked her what was up and… Edward…she thinks she's going to, like, meet her Prince Charming or something."

Alice always thought that she could see the future because of these "visions." The fact that she was convinced that love was coming her way wasn't too surprising. I would definitely need to do something about it and planned to have the conversation I'd been holding off on with Uncle Carlisle.

"Bella…"

"She purposely doesn't take her medication because she's convinced this man is coming for her. She described everything in perfect detail, where they would be, what he looked like…"

I blamed it on Alice's imagination, something we had always done. With her disorder, she shouldn't have been getting specific images. Maybe she would smell something strongly or see specific colors, but actual images weren't likely.

We've _always_ blamed her "feelings" and supposed ESP to her very vivid imagination. But Bella wasn't a part of the "we" yet, so maybe this would take a little time to get used to. I guess that from an outsider's point of view it may be a little disconcerting—

"And then today!"

I brought my thoughts back to her, remembering that Bella was still very scared, and Alice was with Rosalie somewhere in tears.

"Everything was great, we were having a lot of fun and then I left the room for a second and when I came back she was on the floor convulsing! When it dawned on me what was going on I went to call you but all of a sudden she was on her feet, asking me what I was doing there and asking who I was…"

My mind was running a mile a minute. Alice had never collapsed during a seizure. She'd never had any memory loss. And now with the details of her visions…Was she actually seeing more than we thought? Actual images? Delusions? Had she been hiding all of this? All these years?

Was my sister's condition worse than we thought? Had we done completely wrong by her? A family of doctors can be dangerous; sometimes we don't see the most obvious symptoms in the ones we love.

Bella still had more to say.

"I tried to calm her down, really, but she kept going on like I was her enemy or something. I didn't know what to say, and then she was leaving so I let her go. I'm so sorry, Edward! I should have told you when it happened the first time, I shouldn't have let her leave, I—"

"Bella, Bella, calm down." I wrapped an arm around her shoulders in an attempt to soothe her. "This isn't your fault. I'm glad you came to tell me when you did."

I felt terrible. Alice wasn't Bella's problem to deal with and I shouldn't have put her in this situation. Or I should have at least warned her. I should have suspected.

"So…how did you get here anyway?" I asked, in a sad attempt to change the topic as well as out of general curiosity.

"Oh…um…" Bella blushed scarlet before taking out the keys to my Aston Martin and handing them to me. It was an incredibly over-the-top car that I barely used and only had because Emmett insisted. "I'm sorry, I sort of panicked."

I chuckled before handing the keys back. "Hey, if you don't mind driving something so flashy, it's yours."

"I can be your Bond girl," she replied softly, her smile hesitant. I kissed her forehead and held her closer.

After getting a quick lunch and talking about anything other than my sister, I saw Bella off and returned to work. I warned Bella I would be late getting home that night.

I would definitely be going to Carlisle and Esme's after work, but Bella would not be the topic of conversation.

* * *

Thankfully, someone had convinced Rosalie that she didn't need to stay for this conversation. I assumed it was Esme since nothing in the house was broken, meaning she didn't leave angrily. My aunt was pretty good at saying what needed to be said without angering quick-tempered people, probably from growing up in the middle between my mother and Aunt Sasha.

We sat in the living room, where Alice seemed to be bursting with energy, waiting to speak. Esme sat on the couch beside Alice, and Giles, their very overweight dachshund, was happily sitting on her lap. In the armchair across from mine sat Carlisle, who just looked thoroughly confused. Apparently, Alice hadn't exactly given them many details; the only things they had to go on were Rosalie's many accusations and both of them knew how Rosalie was prone to exaggeration.

"Alice," I decided to begin. "You need to get back on, and remain on, your medication."

My aunt and uncle both looked surprised and Carlisle lightly reprimanded Alice.

There would need to be more than that this time around.

"No, Edward, you don't understand, this has nothing to do with that." In Alice's world it was _never_ about her condition.

I sighed. "Alice, I think it has more to do with it than you want to admit."

"Edward, what happened today?" Esme asked, since it was becoming clear I was the only one with any kind of information.

"Alice hasn't been taking her medication. Today, Bella found her convulsing on the floor and when she came to she didn't know who Bella was."

"_No_! That's not what happened!" Alice was at my side shaking her head. "Edward, you have to believe me."

"Then tell us what happened," I said, giving her my full attention. I still wanted to believe that this was a misunderstanding, but I wasn't completely sure how much I could trust Alice when it came to her condition.

She didn't turn back to her parents. Instead, her eyes remained on me. "Bella's phone just kept ringing and ringing and she insisted it could wait, but finally she decided to answer it. And she wasn't out of the room for a few minutes; she was out there for, like, 20 minutes. When she came back I… I wasn't convulsing. I tripped. And…"

"And what, Alice?" I asked, knowing exactly what she didn't want to say. Whether she was convulsing on the floor or not, the fact remained…

"She's not good, Edward. She's not who she says she is, you have to believe me." Her voice was frantic to the point of desperation.

"Sweetheart… how do you know that?" Carlisle asked in the same calm voice. We all knew how. This wasn't the first time. It was the first time she had started throwing accusations at someone so randomly. I knew my Aunt and Uncle were finally beginning to understand the severity of the situation.

"I…saw it…" Alice whispered. Tears were streaming down her face and I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Alice, we'll figure this out, everything's going to be alright," I said, before glancing over to my aunt.

"Come on, Alice, let's go upstairs. _Vampire Diaries_ starts in ten minutes and we don't want to bother the boys with such things." Esme brought Alice with her and I thanked their ritual. Ever since _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_, her and Esme always had something they watched together. It was actually where Giles got his name from.

I sighed as they disappeared, not even having it in me to joke about how Esme was struggling to carry the overweight pup upstairs.

"I think you were wrong when you originally diagnosed Alice."

At this point, I had Carlisle's full attention. I knew this was going to be a hard argument, but things were getting dangerous.

"I think we should check to see if it's psychogenic."

"Now, Edward—"

"No, Carlisle. She has a condition that she doesn't take seriously and that needs to change. Did you know that she doesn't take it because she's convinced herself she's seeing visions of her… I don't know, her soulmate or something."

"Alice always had a vivid imagina—"

"Alice is 24 years old and you're still treating her like a teenager. You need to stop indulging these ridiculous fantasies, if they even are fantasies. What if she really is seeing these images?"

Carlisle finally agreed. Alice would have her condition looked at again, with a different doctor overseeing her diagnosis.

I also broached the topic that maybe Alice shouldn't be allowed to drive so freely anymore since she obviously wasn't taking her medication, and her seizures were happening more often than just when she slept. Alice would need to take her medication in front of either Esme or Carlisle from then on since she obviously could not be trusted taking it on her own.

Once again, I thanked the fact that Rosalie wasn't present. I was certainly not looking forward to the next time I saw her, or Alice for that matter.

Not for the first time, I considered bailing on the family barbeque next week.

* * *

When I returned to the house it was almost 9:30, and I was hungry and tired.

Bella wasn't anywhere in sight when I walked in, but instead of looking I grabbed something to eat. I made my way upstairs a few minutes later, curious as to what was keeping Bella.

"Bella?" I called out. She wasn't in our room, or any of the others. I ran downstairs and checked the garage to find my suspicions were correct. Bella wasn't here.

I don't know why I felt the panic that I did. She was probably at the store and something held her up. I was being ridiculous. Instead of going on a rampage in my room to check if her stuff was still there, I did the rational thing and called.

I didn't have to wait long. Before the phone even had a chance to ring, Bella was walking through the door.

"Hey, you're home earlier than I thought you would be." She walked right up to me and kissed me long on the mouth. I couldn't help but notice her lack of bags or anything of the sort.

"Where were you?" I asked, pulling my lips away from hers before she could deepen the kiss.

Bella wrapped her arms tighter around my neck to give me another peck on the lips before pulling away. I stopped myself from reaching out to her but she quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the couch.

"It's been such a long time since I was able to drive a car," she said, plopping down beside me. "I guess I just got caught up in it. I just sort of drove around the city, stopped at random places, explored the beyond…That car is amazing, by the way."

.I loved driving and could understand the urge to do so. I was ecstatic that she liked the car so much. "I'm glad you like it. I always felt a little uncomfortable in it so it's been wasting away in the garage."

Soft hands were suddenly in my hair as she turned toward me, pressing her breast against my shoulder. "I'm sure you look very sexy driving it."

I knew exactly where this was going; the same place it had gone for the last week.

"Bella…" I pulled her away from her. "I spoke to Alice…"

Her hands immediately stopped and she quietly sat back down on the couch. "Is everything alright?"

I nodded. "Carlisle agreed to look further into her condition. She said that she tripped though, and that you were gone for a while because your phone kept ringing…"

I admit, I had filed that piece of information away ever since Alice first told me. The whole situation reminded me a little too much of what Leah had said when Bella first got the phone. It was probably nothing…

"…Edward, I was only on the phone for a minute. Do you think because of her seizure a minute became much longer?"

I looked away. This situation was becoming too complicated. Telling me she was on the phone for a minute didn't tell me _who_ was on the phone. Was I supposed to assume it was another wrong number? Should I trust her? I was trying to. Was I being overly suspicious?

But Alice… Could her situation be so bad? I placed my elbows on my knees and held my head in my hands. What was wrong with me? Alice could have some serious mental problem that we'd been overlooking all this time, and here I was worrying about a phone call? "She's going to hate me after this. Carlisle agreed to take away her car, he's going to put her through all these tests…"

"Hey…" Bella's hands pulled at my wrists, drawing my hands away from my face. I hadn't even noticed she'd moved, but she was suddenly sitting on the floor in front of me. "This isn't your fault. It's important that you do what you can now. I'm sure Alice will understand."

I meant to ask if she was sure about the amount of time she was on the phone, and follow with asking who exactly was on the phone. It shouldn't have hurt to ask. I was already being a selfish bastard about the situation so I may as well have just gotten it out of my system, right?

I may have even started to ask. I can't really remember, because Bella was sitting between my legs, and her hands were suddenly in my pants, and then my boxers.

And it wasn't the time for this. I was upset, my sister's… my sister…

But then I was enveloped inside her mouth and it was so wet, so hot…

I forgot about anything else.

* * *

A/N: Believe it or not, we are actually getting somewhere. So, what do you think?

Since this is in Edward's PoV, there are obviously a lot of holes. Get used to it. They won't be filled in a for a while.

As always, please review. Give me a theory. What do you think about Bella? Alice? Actually, Edward as well? Feel free to hate XD. And if you enjoy one-shots, please visit mine. They're my favorite things I've ever written.


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